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Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes, are responsible for 75% of deaths worldwide. People affected by humanitarian emergencies are at increased risk of NCDs. It is estimated that strokes and heart attacks are up to 3 times more likely following a disaster. However, care and treatment for NCDs are often not included as a standard part of humanitarian emergency preparedness and response, which focus on the most immediate needs.World Health Organization
To supportWorld integration of essential services for NCDs into emergency preparedness and humanitarian response, the technical meeting on
NCDs in humanitarian settings on 27-29 February in Copenhagen, Denmark.
- Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to 74% of all deaths globally.
- Each year, 17 million people die from a NCD before age 70; 86% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
- Of all NCD deaths, 77% are in low- and middle-income countries.
- Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.3 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4.1 million), and diabetes (2.0 million including kidney disease deaths caused by diabetes).
- These four groups of diseases account for over 80% of all premature NCD deaths.
- Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.
- Detection, screening and treatment of NCDs, as well as palliative care, are key components of the response to NCDs.OverviewNoncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.The main types of NCD are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
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