Noncommunicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for 74% of all deaths in the world. Nearly three-quarters of all deaths from noncommunicable diseases, and 86% of the 17 million people who die prematurely or before their 70th birthday, occur in low- and middle-income countries.
The rise in noncommunicable diseases is primarily due to five main risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution, as well as a lack of services to detect, treat and care for noncommunicable diseases. With it.
The epidemic of noncommunicable diseases has devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to overwhelm health systems. The social and economic costs associated with noncommunicable diseases make their prevention and control a key development necessity in the twenty-first century.
The organization's mission is to provide the leadership and evidence base for international action on noncommunicable disease surveillance, prevention and control. Urgent action is needed by governments to achieve global targets to reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases.