NCDs, mental health silent killers, more cost-effective solutions imperative: WHO chief

New Delhi, Sep 18 (IANS) Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension and cancers, as well as mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, are a silent killer, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said on Thursday.

He urged countries to strengthen cost-effective solutions to tackle the rising burden of NCDs and mental health.

"Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions are silent killers, robbing us of lives and innovation," said Ghebreyesus.

In a new report titled “Saving lives, spending less”, the WHO revealed that an additional investment of just $3 per person annually in tackling NCDs could yield economic benefits of up to $1 trillion by 2030.

Interestingly, the report showed 82 per cent of countries achieved reductions in NCD mortality between 2010 and 2019.

However, the rate of progress slowed significantly -- 60 per cent -- across most regions, with some countries even experiencing a resurgence in NCD-related deaths.

NCDs are responsible for most global deaths, while more than one billion people live with mental health conditions. Alarmingly, nearly 75 per cent of deaths related to NCDs and mental health conditions occur in low- and middle-income countries, accounting for 32 million lives lost each year.

"We have the tools to save lives and reduce suffering. Countries like Denmark, South Korea, and Moldova are leading the way, while others are stalling. Investing in the fight against NCDs isn't just smart economics -- it's an urgent necessity for thriving societies," the WHO Director-General said.

Without urgent and sustained action to tackle the conditions, millions more lives will be lost prematurely.

The solutions to tackle NCDs and promote mental health and well-being are both affordable and highly cost-effective, the report said.

The WHO urged actions by governments against powerful industries whose products contribute to disease. These include tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food companies, who frequently attempt to block, weaken, or delay life-saving policies -- ranging from health taxes to marketing restrictions aimed at protecting children.

“It is unacceptable that commercial interests are profiting from increasing deaths and disease,” said Dr Etienne Krug, Director of WHO’s Department of Health Determinants, Promotion and Prevention.

“Governments must put people before profits and ensure evidence-based policy is not derailed by corporate pressure,” Krug said.

--IANS

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