LET’S COMMUNICATE ABOUT NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Do you know what a non-communicable disease is?

Do you know what impact it has on world economy?

Do you have this disease? May be your relatives or friends? 

Are they dangerous?

Here the answers to these questions:

Non-communicable disease is a medical condition or disease which is non-infectious and is of long duration and generally slow progression. They include mainly heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancers, and chronic respiratory disease.

The central problem of non-communicable diseases is that ordinary patients have no idea about this problem that we all worry about. Practically you cannot see a patient which will declare that he or she has "a non-communicable disease"! It is a huge problem! That is why we need more communication about chronic diseases!

Non-communicable diseases currently account for 35 million deaths annually worldwide out of 58.7 million, the majority of them in low and middle-income countries (28.1 million). In developing countries alone, an estimated 8 million such deaths per year are premature, that is below 60 years of age, and could potentially be prevented. The prevalence and impact of non-communicable diseases continue to grow. Chronic diseases account for 60% of all deaths worldwide, and 80% of these deaths occur in low- or middle-income countries, where the toll is disproportionate during the prime productive years of youth and middle age.

A recent report from the World Health Organization identified six risk factors associated with non-communicable diseases as the leading global risk factors for death: high blood pressure, tobacco use, high blood glucose levels, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, and high cholesterol levels. 

We need initiative in fighting of non-communicable diseases and risk factors not only from policy makers, but from all human community: patients, doctors and persons which are interested in respiratory pathologies. Unfortunately majority of policy makers make promotion of themselves by non-communicable diseases. From my point of view we need a higher implication of patients and medical structures.

            There are no important and less important diseases, but we can see this simplistic approach in health care systems all over the world. Meanwhile, there are some inspiring actions, for example:

The Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance was launched in May 2009 at an event in Geneva titled 'Health and Development: Held back by Non-Communicable diseases'. The Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance is a formal alliance of four international federations representing the four main NCDs outlined in the World Health Organization’s 2008-2013 Action Plan for NCDs – cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory disease.

The world known medical journal LANCET is publishing series dedicated to Non-Communicable Diseases. On 6 April 2011, Professor Robert Beaglehole wrote: “The United Nations High-Level Meeting on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in September, 2011, is an unprecedented opportunity to create a sustained global movement against premature death and preventable morbidity and disability from NCDs, mainly heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease. The increasing global crisis in NCDs is a barrier to development goals including poverty reduction, health equity, economic stability, and human security.” The last comparable United Nations High Level Meeting meeting was on AIDS in 2001 and led to the creation of Global Fund.

The Lancet NCD Action Group and the NCD Alliance propose several priority actions: leadership, prevention, treatment, international cooperation, and monitoring and accountability. Also were proposed and five priority interventions (which are very realistic) - tobacco control, salt reduction, improved diets and physical activity, reduction in hazardous alcohol intake, and essential drugs and technologies. 

RESPIRATORY DECADE suggests working together on common aim: to help people with Non-Communicable Diseases and to prevent the increase of these diseases in the world by simple interventions on tobacco, salt, diets, alcohol!