The Next Health Challenge in the Hemisphere: Non-Communicable Diseases

Donna Hrinak
AQ Web Exclusive
July 29, 2010

Photo courtesy Shanel/Wikimedia Commons

This year in the Americas, 4.5 million people will die of chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. While the countries of the region have made great strides over the past two generations in decreasing death rates from infectious diseases—they are no longer the leading causes of death in all but five countries —today 250 million people suffer from non-communicable diseases. These conditions, today even emerging among children and adolescents, cause premature death and great human suffering.

They also cost billions of dollars in direct and indirect costs. Chile’s annual dialysis bill, due mostly to diabetes and hypertension, totals a whopping $200 million. Studies in the Caribbean estimate the economic impact of diabetes and hypertension alone adds up to 5 to 8 percent of GDP. In the United States, the impact of heart disease exceeds $300 billion.

The situation is serious, tragic, and almost entirely preventable. The risk factors for NCD’s are well known: tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets, and physical inactivity. Still, the root causes of NCD’s are complex, driven by twenty-first century social and environmental conditions that affect how people in the region live, work and play. Similarly, while prevention strategies exist, they require lifestyle changes across a range of areas (diet, exercise, habits) and the cooperation of different sectors to be effective. Unfortunately, this sort of cooperation has been lacking.

But something is being done.

On December 3, 2009, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the world’s oldest regional health organization, and the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO), created the Partners Forum to mobilize effective cross-sector action against NCDs. Announced by PAHO Director Dr. Mirta Roses in September 2009, the Partners Forum seeks to actively engage a broad range of sectors and partners “to prevent over three million deaths, reduce suffering and the upward cost spiral, and improve productivity through joint action over the next 10 years.” The Partners Forum has developed committees for a set of topical areas, such as healthy diets, to address NCDs. These committees, comprising representatives from a variety of sectors, are currently in the process of developing specific projects.

Read the full text of this article at www.AmericasQuarterly.org

Donna Hrinak heads the Latin America/Caribbean Public Policy shop at PepsiCo and represents the company at the Partners Forum. She is also a former U.S. Ambassador for the region.

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