The report and new data portal were launched on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly’s 77th session, at an event co-organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Cardiovascular diseases, such as heart disease and stroke; cancer; diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases; and mental health illnesses are among the most common. They account for nearly three-quarters of all deaths worldwide, killing 41 million people each year.
Invisible numbers: The true extent of noncommunicable diseases and what to do about them is a report that highlights NCD statistics to demonstrate the true scope of the threats and risk factors they pose.
It also demonstrates cost-effective and globally applicable interventions that can reduce those figures while saving lives and money.
“This report is a reminder of the true scale of the threat posed by NCDs and their risk factors,” said WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The NCD data portal brings the report’s numbers to life by sharing the most recent country-specific data, risk factors, and policy implementation for 194 countries.
Furthermore, it enables data exploration on cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as their main drivers and risk factors, which include tobacco, an unhealthy diet, harmful alcohol use, and a lack of physical activity.
The portal highlights patterns and trends across countries and allows for comparison across countries and/or geographical regions.
“There are cost-effective and globally applicable NCD interventions that every country, no matter its income level, can and should be using and benefitting from – saving lives and saving money,” said Tedros.
Only a few countries are on track to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing NCD-related premature deaths by one-third.
To read our blog on “Through an innovative development initiative, cardiovascular health technologies will be expedited,” click here
