Investing $ 1 per person per year could save 7 million lives in low- and low-income countries

A new World Health Organization report suggests that close to seven million deaths could be prevented by 2030 if low- and lower-middle-income countries invest an additional $ 1 per person per year in non-communicable disease prevention and treatment (NCDs).

NCDs – which include heart disease, diabetes, cancer and respiratory diseases – currently cause seven out of every ten deaths in the world.

However, their impact on lower-income countries is often underestimated, despite the fact that 85% of premature deaths (between 30-69 years) from NCDs occur in low- and middle-income countries, making them a major health and socioeconomic burden.

The vast majority of these deaths can be prevented by using WHO’s tried and tested NCD interventions ‘Best Buy’. These include cost-effective measures to reduce smoking and harmful alcohol use, improve diet, increase physical activity, reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and prevent cervical cancer.

Maintaining people’s health reduces health costs, increases productivity and leads to longer and healthier lives.

Saving lives, spending less: a reason to invest in non-communicable diseases, focuses on 76 low- and low-income countries. The report explains NCD Best Buys and shows how every dollar invested in increasing Best Buy stocks in those countries could generate a return of up to $ 7 – potentially $ 230 billion by 2030.

“With the right strategic investments, countries that bear a significant burden of NCDs can change the course of their disease and bring significant health and economic benefits to their citizens.” says WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “In a world full of uncertainty, one thing we can be sure of is that without the action of the NCD, it will continue to pose a significant threat to global health. Investing in these evidence-based policies is investing in a healthy future. ”

The report highlights the urgency of investing in the prevention and treatment of NCDs as the COVID-19 pandemic highlights how many of these diseases can worsen outcomes for COVID-19.

By investing in 16 recommended Best Buy policies, countries will not only protect people from NCDs, but will also reduce the impact of infectious diseases like COVID-19 in the future.

“Noncommunicable diseases are taking a terrible toll on health and economics, especially in countries that can least afford it,” says Michael R. Bloomberg, global ambassador for the World Health Organization for NCDs and Injuries. “We know the prevention measures that work best, and we hope this new report will lead more governments to take smart, cost-effective actions that can help save millions of lives around the world.”

Best Buy promotions include health tax increases, restrictions on the marketing and sale of harmful products, information and education, and vaccinations. They also include actions related to the management of metabolic risk factors, such as hypertension and diabetes, to prevent more serious illnesses or complications.

All interventions are relatively inexpensive and require little capital investment, but could help avoid much of the high cost of treatment in the future. The report also shows that, although each of the interventions can be implemented individually, the effects are stronger and give a higher return on investment when introduced together. As marginalized groups are often at greater risk of the physical and financial impact of NCDs, interventions can also help reduce health and economic inequalities.

Interventions have already been used successfully in many countries around the world, and some of the success stories are highlighted in the report. International donors have also begun to use arguments to catalyze investment in this area: In 2019, the Norwegian government launched the first international development strategy for NCDs.

“Saving lives, spending less: a reason to invest in non-communicable diseases sets the path that countries can follow to provide a better and healthier world for the next generation. The impact of COVID-19 on people living with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and lung disease shows that it is more important than ever to prioritize investment in the prevention and treatment of NCDs, ”said Dr. Bente Mikkelsen, Director of NCDs at the WHO. “We invite all our partners to follow the example of Norway, which has increased funding and action. In a world where financial resources are increasingly limited, this report shows where the best investments can be made and where millions of lives can be saved. ”