1. An Overview of the Burden of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Dr Sylvia J Anie Director Social Transformation Programmes Division (Education, Health, Gender) Commonwealth Secretariat, London December 2011

2. What Are Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Non-Communicable Diseases describe those diseases which are not usually caused by infectious agents. They are of long duration and often slow progression. The four main NCDs which constitute the leading causes of death worldwide are:  Cardiovascular Diseases  Cancer  Diabetes  Chronic Respiratory Diseases

3. What Are Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) The Commonwealth Health Ministers at their meeting in May 2011 also included:  Mental Health  Blood Disorders such as Sickle Cell Disease  Injuries  Violence  Oral Health

4. Global Data on NCDs Of the 57 million reported deaths globally in 2008 – 36 million deaths (63%) were caused by NCDs 80% of the 36 million NCD related deaths were in low or middle income countries

5. Global Data on NCDs In Africa, communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases continue to be the leading causes of death However, if current trends persist, NCDs are projected as being the most common causes of death by 2030.

6. Risk factors are very prevalent and are rising 1. Tobacco use (Highest in lower-middle income countries) 2. Harmful use of alcohol (Highest in low-income countries) 3. Unhealthy diets (Rapidly increasing in lower-middle- income countries) 4. Physical inactivity

7. Social and Economic Factors in NCDs The social distribution is changing. No longer diseases of the rich, but increasingly diseases of the poor People in lower socio-economic positions, spend a higher proportion of their available income on things like tobacco products, alcohol and fast foods and are at more risk People in lower socio-economic positions get sicker and die sooner when they have NCDs than people who are in higher socio-economic positions

8. Social and Economic Factors in NCDs There is a gender dimension to NCDs as the burden of care for other members of the household often falls upon women and girls Health seeking behaviour, and access to health services are impacted by gender dimensions. This affects the speed of disease diagnosis, access to treatment and chronic care.

9. How has the Commonwealth Secretariat responded? Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, 2007 Theme: Lifestyle Diseases: Health Systems Approaches Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, 2009 Statement on Commonwealth Action to Combat Non- Communicable Diseases Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, 2010 Commonwealth Road Map on NCDs Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting, 2011 Theme: Non- Communicable Diseases UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, 2011

10. Commonwealth Initiatives Advocacy  Briefing on NCDs with High Commissions  Commonwealth Health Ministers Meeting-2010, 2011 (communique), 2012 (theme-linkages between CD’s and NCD’s)  Membership of The Lancet NCD Action Group Priority actions for the non-communicable disease crisis (The Lancet, April 23, 2011)  Commonwealth film on NCDs and youth (launched August 2011) Building Media Capacity  Media Workshop on NCDs: Caribbean Region, August 2011 (in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation

11. Sharing Good Practice

12. Publication commissioned: Taking up the Challenge of NCDs in the Commonwealth: 17 Good-Practice Case Studies

13. A Global Strategy In 2003 the World Health Assembly (WHA) adopted the ‘WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC)’ ‘The 2008-2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases’ In 2010, the WHA endorsed ‘The Global Strategy to reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol’

14. The African Regional Response The Brazzaville Declaration of April 2011:  recognition of the double burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases  A commitment to strengthening national health systems as the basis of a comprehensive approach to equitable health outcomes  Management of CD’s can provide opportunities to accelerate prevention and control of NCDs. Opportunities should be identified and harnessed to address integrated care in the context of primary health care and health systems strengthening

15. Thank you