According to the World Health Organization last Sunday, as little as $1.20 per person per year can prevent and treat millions of patients with cancer, heart diseases, diabetes and lung diseases in poor countries.

A study released during the eve of the first UN assembly on chronic or non-communicable diseases (NCDs) suggested that cheap measures can be pioneered by the government of developing countries. These baby steps can potentially curb life threatening diseases, and avoid spending and losing millions to billions of dollars because of the threat of rampancy of NCDs.

According to the latest statistics, NCDs or non-communicable diseases which include diabetes, cancer, stroke, heart attacks and respiratory diseases are responsible for 63% of all mortality worldwide and killing 36 million people each year. By the year 2030, the WHO presages that the NCD epidemic will become global and the number of deaths each year could balloon to up to 52 million.

Contrary to the perception that NCDs are diseases of the rich and wealthy countries where cigarette smoking, alcohol, fatty foods and sedentary lifestyles are already part of the normal routine, latest trends prove otherwise as most of the cases of NCDs root from developing countries. This is partly due to lack of medical professionals and access to them, limited knowledge on the diseases, and mostly, lack of commitment of the government in preventing these diseases.

“Nearly 80 percent of these deaths (from NCDs) occur in low and middle income countries,” according to Ala Alwan who is the Director of WHO for NCDs and Mental Health. “The challenge to these countries is tremendous, but this study proves that there are affordable steps all governments can take to address non-communicable diseases,” he added further.

The WHO recommends the following measures that will target reduction of cases and prevention of these NCDs like:

- Excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol;

- Legislating for smoke-free indoor workplaces and public places, as well as campaigns to reduce levels of salt and trans fats in foods;

- Public awareness programs about improving diets and increasing physical activity.

- Screening, counseling and drugs for people at risk of heart disease; and

- Cervical cancer screening and hepatitis B immunization to prevent liver cancer.

The World Economic Forum released a statement on Sunday that “the global economic impact of the five leading NCDs - cancer, diabetes, mental illness, heart disease, and respiratory disease - could reach $47 trillion in the next 20 years if nothing is done to prevent them.”

According to Alwan, the WHO recommendation will “help countries with limited resources work out what the ‘best buys’ are and what they will cost. Implementing them would save literally millions of lives over the next 15 years.”

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