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According to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4 signed in 2015, the goal is to achieve a reduction of one third of global deaths among people between 30 and 70 years old from cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.
Countries may miss targets to reduce chronic diseases by 2030 due to COVID-19. Pixabay
Heart disease, stroke, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and cancer – these are all chronic diseases, also known as non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and have unhealthy lifestyle habits as their main contributing factor. The World Health Organization reveals that these NCDs are collectively responsible for 70 percent of all deaths worldwide, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Because NCDs are recognized as a major global health challenge, world leaders, organizations dependent on the United Nations and their partners signed Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4 in 2015. The goal was to achieve a reduction in a third of deaths are those between 30 and 70 years of age due to the four main NCDs: cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes. But according to The Lancet’s NCD Countdown 2030 In the report, released on September 3, many member countries are not meeting their targets, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to pose immense obstacles to achieving the stated target.
The NCD Countdown 2030 report
Led by experts from Imperial College London, WHO and the NCD Alliance, the report states that “although premature mortality from NCDs is declining in most countries, for most the pace of change is too slow to meet target 3.4 of the SDGs “.
The report says that it is simply impossible for most countries to reach the 2030 SDG target by focusing on a single disease. Instead, there has to be a concerted effort to address all the major NCDs simultaneously.
The report states that among high-income countries, only Denmark, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and South Korea are on track to meet the 2030 target for men and women if they maintain or exceed their 2010 average NCD rates. -2016. decrease.
This report also mentions that although NCDs receive a lot of political attention globally, action against them has been clearly inadequate in most countries.
The report further explains that, in addition to focusing on tobacco and alcohol control, the following health system interventions can help reduce NCD-related mortality:
- Treatment of hypertension and diabetes
- Primary and secondary cardiovascular prevention in high-risk people
- Low-dose inhaled corticosteroids and bronchodilators for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Treatment of acute cardiovascular diseases, complications of diabetes, and exacerbations of asthma and COPD
- Effective cancer detection and treatment
NCDs and the impact of COVID-19
In an editorial published alongside the report, The lancet explains that “COVID-19 and NCDs form a dangerous relationship, experienced as a syndemic that is exacerbating social and economic inequalities.” Mentions a modeling study published in The Lancet Global Health in June 2020, which suggested that one in five people worldwide is at an increased risk of severe COVID-19 if they become infected, primarily due to underlying NCDs.
According to the WHO rapid assessment survey published in May 2020, 75 percent of its member countries reported interruptions in regular NCD services and care, public health campaigns, and disease surveillance efforts. Reportedly, data released by the National Health Mission of India reveals that childhood immunizations, in particular, decreased at an alarming rate after the pandemic, particularly affecting the administration of vaccines against polio, meningitis, and The tuberculosis.
The aforementioned editorial states that COVID-19 could not only provide “new insights into the interactions between immune systems and NCDs, and potentially change the way we understand and treat these diseases,” it could also lead to new disabilities in the long run. term that may contribute to the global burden of NCDs.
Clearly, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic calls for stronger campaigns to reduce the heavy burden that NCDs place on global health systems, including that of India.
Better disease surveillance, a strong public health system, clear communication with a strong civil society, and better access to resilient health care systems are the only ways to reduce the burden of NCDs after COVID-19.
For more information, read our article on COVID-19 prevention tips for seniors with chronic illnesses.
The Health Articles on Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and largest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to provide you with information on all things health.
