[afro-nets] The neglected epidemic: Chronic Diseases

[Leela McCullough <leela@healthnet.org>]

The neglected epidemic: Chronic Diseases
----------------------------------------

The reduction of chronic disease is not a Millennium Development
Goal (MDG). While the political fashions have embraced some dis-
eases ­ HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis, in particular ­
many other common conditions remain marginal to the mainstream
of global action on health. Chronic diseases are among these ne-
glected conditions.

Chronic diseases represent a huge proportion of human illness.
They include cardiovascular disease (30% of projected total
worldwide deaths in 2005), cancer (13%), chronic respiratory
diseases (7%), and diabetes (2%). Two risk factors underlying
these conditions are key to any population-wide strategy of con-
trol­tobacco use and obesity. These risks and the diseases they
engender are not the exclusive preserve of rich nations. Quite
the contrary.[1] Chronic diseases are a larger problem in low-
income settings. Research into chronic diseases in resource-
poor nations remains embryonic. But what evidence there is [2,3]
shows just how critical it will be to intervene early in the
epidemic?s course. There is an unusual opportunity before us to
act now to prevent the needless deaths of millions. Do we have
the insight and resolve to respond?

With a new series of articles, [4­7] for which we thank the su-
perb efforts of Robert Beaglehole, The Lancet aims to fill a gap
in the global dialogue about disease. It is a surprising and im-
portant gap, one that health workers and policymakers can no
longer afford to ignore. The call by Kathleen Strong and col-
leagues4 for the world to set a target to reduce deaths from
chronic disease by 2% annually­to prevent 36 million deaths by
2015­deserves to be added to the existing eight MDGs.

Without concerted and coordinated political action, the gains
achieved in reducing the burden of infectious disease will be
washed away as a new wave of preventable illness engulfs those
least able to protect themselves. Let this series be part of a
new international commitment to deny that outcome.

Richard Horton The Lancet, London NW1 7BY, UK

Please click on the link below to view the articles:
http://www.thelancet.com/collections/series/chronic_diseases

1 Preventing chronic diseases: how many lives can we save?
Strong K, Mathers C, Leeder S, Beaglehole R Lancet 2005; pub-
lished online Oct 5

2 Preventing chronic diseases: taking stepwise action Epping-
Jordan JE, Galea G, Tukuitonga C, Beaglehole R Lancet 2005; pub-
lished online Oct 5

3 Responding to the threat of chronic diseases in India Reddy
KS, Shah B, Varghese C, Ramadoss A Lancet 2005; published online
Oct 5

4 Preventing chronic diseases in China Wang L, Kong L, Wu F, Bai
Y, Burton R Lancet 2005; published online Oct 5


--
Leela McCullough, Ed.D.
Director of Information Services

SATELLIFE
30 California Street
Watertown, MA 02472, USA
Tel: +1-617-926-9400
Fax: +1-617-926-1212
mailto:leela@healthnet.org
http://www.healthnet.org

--
 From the moderator: A new WHO publication deals with the same
topic:

Preventing chronic diseases: a vital investment
-----------------------------------------------

Catherine Le Galès-Camus, Robert Beaglehole and JoAnne Epping-
Jordan
World Health Organization Global Report, October 2005
ISBN 92 4 156300 1

Adobe PDF file (202 pp. 7.6 MB!):
http://www.who.int/chp/chronic_disease_report/full_report.pdf

This WHO global report makes the case for urgent action to halt
and turn back the growing threat of chronic diseases. It pre-
sents a state-of-the-art guide to effective and feasible inter-
ventions, and provides practical suggestions for how countries
can implement these interventions to respond successfully to the
growing epidemics.