Non-Communicable Diseases and the MDG agenda

Non-communicable diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and mental illness, are on the rise. Three out of five deaths worldwide are cause by non-communicable diseases, and yet only three percent of the global public health budget is being spent on assistance for low and middle-income countries. 

As a rule as the rates of infectious disease decrease, the rates of non-communicable diseases rise. This phenomenon is being observed all over the world, but particularly in nations with historically high burdens of infectious diseases. As we get better at treating diseases like lower respiratory infections and cholera rates for diseases such as cardiovascular disease and cancer have risen.

People are living longer and comparatively healthier lives, but with increased life expectancy come a higher risk for developing non-communicable diseases. There is an adage, at least in the biological sciences, which states that if you live long enough you will get cancer. It is the inevitable result of the years and years of the genetic replication that occurs in the body. But in reality most people develop cancers because of factors outside of age, most of which are self-imposed. This can be said of most non-communicable diseases, which are generally associated with lifestyle choices: factors like high-blood pressure and smoking are the leading risk factors for lost DALYs worldwide. These risk factors have become increasingly prevalent in poverty stricken nations: indeed there is a general consensus that Africa is facing a ‘smoking epidemic’ in the next 12 years.

And yet most people do not think of sub-Saharan Africa when they think of lung-cancer and heart disease. These are diseases of the rich and fat nations, and the notion that these diseases are on the rise in poverty stricken countries does not fit will with the images of theses regions that have been fed to us for so long. Unfortunately the prevalence of these diseases is rising at a staggering rate, not helped by the poverty, lack of strong health systems and legal or political will power to make a difference in the countries that are facing the rising tide of non-communicable diseases.

We most re-evaluate the way the non-communicable diseases are being perceived, and attempt to combat the rising risk these diseases pose to global health. With the upcoming evaluation and re-assessment of the millennium development goals, there should be a push towards preventing these diseases, as we will only see a continued rise in their rates over the next decade.