Africa joins global efforts to fight noncommunicable diseases

18 March 2011 -- In an effort to address the growing problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), technical experts and Ministers of Health in the African region will gather from 4 to 6 April in Brazzaville, Congo, for the first African regional consultation on NCDs under the auspices of the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss the region’s response to the crisis.

A key outcome of the Brazzaville consultation is to prepare a joint regional position for the First Global Ministerial Meeting on Healthy Lifestyle and Noncommunicable diseases control scheduled for 28-29 April in Moscow, and the UN General Assembly Head of States and Governments Summit on the Prevention and Control of NCDs to be held in New York from 19- 20 September 2011.

“Chronic noncommunicable conditions are an under-recognized but growing public health problem in the African Region, placing a huge social and economic burden on countries,” says WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo.

WHO estimates that in 2004, NCDs were responsible for 28% (3.6 million) of deaths in Africa, and this is projected to increase by 27% over the next 10 years. Approximately 33% of deaths due to NCDs occur in persons aged less than 60 (one-third of all NCDs deaths in Africa), making NCDs a significant contributor to premature death and disability in Africa.

A recent WHO report says that although Africa, as a region, is reporting more deaths from infectious diseases than NCDs, the so-called silent killers are rising rapidly and are projected to exceed communicable diseases, maternal and childhood conditions and nutritional deficiencies combined as the most common causes of death by 2030.

The Brazzaville consultation is regarded as an important milestone ahead of the UN High-Level Summit on the Prevention and Control of NCDs, the aims of which are in line with two of the six Strategic Directions for WHO 2010-2015, namely,

• To intensify the prevention and control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases
• To accelerate response to the determinants of health.

The September 2011 UN High-Level Summit on NCDs , the first ever to be devoted by the world body to the so-called silent killers, is considered a big win for the global chronic disease community, as well as an opportunity to galvanize the energies, expertise and capacities of multiple stakeholders to make a game-changing shift in how the world responds to the health and major macroeconomic impacts of the NCDs epidemic.

The consultation will be organized in two segments: a technical meeting of experts which will take place from 4-5 April and a Ministerial consultation on 6 April whose outcome is the adoption of a common position outlining required actions for NCD prevention and control in the African Region.

For more information on the African Regional Ministerial Consultation on NCDs:

Technical Contact: Dr Boureima Hama Sambo, + 47241 39372, email: boureima-samboh [at] afro.who.int

Media Contact: AFRO Communication Team: Tel: +47-241-39378/ 39420/39352/39382; e-mail: cam [at] afro.who.int