By Simeon Ebube
As the Global Week for Action on Non Communicable Diseases, NCDs begins today, governments have been urged to ensure that everyone has access to quality healthcare, regardless of their ability to pay, where they live or who they are.
The global week brings together civil society organisations and individuals around the world to create awareness as well as highlight challenges face by people living with NCDs.
Over 25 per cent of the world’s 8 billion people live with at least one NCD. Each year NCDs cut short 41 million lives, accounting for 74 percent of all deaths worldwide. They also cause half of all global disability and drive millions of people into poverty.
This year’s Global Week for Action coincides with the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage billed to hold 21 September, 2023, which offers the opportunity for governments to agree on specific actions to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by 2030, a commitment previously made by all world leaders.
At least half of the world’s population does not currently have full coverage of essential health services. Most of these people live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
UHC is the most powerful tool we have to reduce health inequities and close the care gap. For the HLM, the NCD Alliance is calling on governments, Ministers of Finance and Health, donors, international agencies, and the private sector to invest in prevention and care of NCDs; speed up integration of NCDs into UHC benefits packages; align with sustainable development and global health priorities; and engage people living with NCDs in decisions that affect their health.
Speaking, the Chief Executive Officer. of the NCD Alliance, Katie Dain, who noted that the moment for care for non Communicable Diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart diseases among others is now said: “Governments must seize the opportunity that this High-Level Meeting offers to ensure that UHC is achieved for all people, that NCDs are included as a priority within UHC benefit packages, and that affected communities are meaningfully involved within health decision-making and service design and delivery.”
Beyond the human toll of NCDs, they also take a devastating economic toll on households and countries. Together, the five leading NCDs – cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, diabetes, and mental health and neurological conditions – have been estimated to cost more than US$ 2 trillion per year (or US$ 47 trillion between 2011-2030). This burden is most evident in developing countries.
“By introducing a realistic and cost-effective package of 21 NCD prevention and treatment interventions, governments could avert these losses – along with 39 million deaths in LMICs. These interventions could generate an average net economic benefit of $2.7 trillion, or $390 per capita, between 2023 and 2030. NCDs are the world’s biggest opportunity to save lives and money.”
Speaking, the President, NCD Alliance Nigeria, Dr Sonny Kuku called on civil society, governments, international partners such as multilateral and bilateral agencies, international NGOs, foundations, and philanthropies, the research community, academia, and all stakeholders committed to achieving health for all, to accelerate efforts to meaningfully involve people living with NCDs, as a necessary step to improve NCD prevention and control.
He urged stakeholders to fulfil the rights of people living with NCDs to participate in decision-making as an essential feature of their right to the highest attainable standard of health.
A virtual event billed to hold on 14th of September, and co-hosted by the World Health Organization, the World Diabetes Foundation and the NCD Alliance: “Towards achieving Universal Health Coverage: Multistakeholder Gathering on Tackling Noncommunicable Diseases” will explore the cross-cutting actions to strengthen the prevention and control of NCDs and mental health issues.