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UN sees NCDs as ‘a development issue’

NCDs imposing greatest burden on poorer countries

Posted in NGO and IGO action on 23rd April, 2010 | no responses

On 13 April 2010, United Nations health experts warned that diseases such as cardiovascular and chronic respiratory illnesses, diabetes and cancer are imposing a much greater strain on the poorest countries than on richer economies, and thus must be tackled as a development issue. Gauden Galea, UN World Health Organisation Coordinator of Health Promotion said: ‘It’s not like we have to wait for these countries to develop their economy, then start to suffer from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We are talking about countries and populations that are already dying at much higher rates and much earlier than people do in the richer economies.’

Hania Zlotnik, the Director of the Population Division in the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs spoke of the irony that the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases in developing countries was the result of success in combating communicable diseases. It is therefore important that policies and action plans are developed that can help tackle and prevent NCD. On the 3FOUR50 website, one of the current discussions is on the topic of bringing non-communicable disease on to the development agenda. To find out more or to get involved by adding your comments, please visit the website here >>

Later the same month, the Business Council for the UN held a multi-sector panel luncheon to discuss non-communicable diseases as a development issue. One of the recommendations proposed on how to take on the challenge posed by NCDs was the building of partnerships between the public and the private sectors. Laurent Huber of the Framework Convention Alliance said that this collaboration was crucial because of the extent of the influence the private sector had over people’s lifestyles. George Mensah, a heart specialist and director of heart health and global health at PepsiCo, said at the discussion that the private sector is willing to assist: ‘We need to make it easier for people to make good decisions. Industry has to play by the rules and guidelines. Having a partnership is more likely to make the industry comply than is demonising it.’

Sources: Business Council for the United Nations, 20 April 2010; UN News Service, 13 April 2010.

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