The World Health Assembly approved a resolution to improve the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of viral hepatitis and proposals to improve global coordination of efforts to address noncommunicable diseases like diabetes, cancers, heart disease and stroke.
Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs)
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are not passed from person to person. They are of long duration and generally slow progression. The four main types of noncommunicable diseases are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
Delegates approved 9 indicators to measure progress in implementing the WHO Global NCD Action Plan. They also endorsed the terms of reference and workplan for a Global Coordination Mechanism. The Assembly recommended that the Director-General submit proposed terms of reference for a United Nations Interagency Task Force on NCDs to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
A United Nations High-level Meeting will take place in New York on July 10-11, 2014 to review progress on NCDs. Member States asked the WHO Secretariat to report on the follow-up to this meeting at the next Health Assembly.
CHS has been supporting efforts to address noncommunicable diseases like cervical cancer through its TEGEMEZA project in Central Kenya. Read more about CHS efforts to fight noncommunicable diseases.
Quick Facts about Noncommunicable Diseases
- Noncommunicable diseases kill more than 36 million people each year.
- Nearly 80% of NCD deaths – 29 million – occur in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya.
- More than nine million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur before the age of 60; 90% of these “premature” deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries like Kenya.
- Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.3 million people annually, followed by cancers (7.6 million), respiratory diseases (4.2 million), and diabetes (1.3 million1).
- These four groups of diseases account for around 80% of all NCD deaths.
- They share four risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets.
