By Chioma Obinna, Gabriel Olawale & Lauretta Eguabor
LAGOS — A new report released, yesterday, by the World Health Organisation, WHO, has confirmed the latest situation in Nigeria and other African countries, where non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular diseases are currently ravaging the communities, declaring it as number one killer in the world today and an impending disaster.

According to the new report, tagged “Global Status Report on Non-communicable Diseases, NCDs,” developing countries such as Nigeria are the worst hit.

In 2008 alone, a total of 36.1 million people died from conditions such as heart disease, stroke, chronic lung diseases, cancers and diabetes. The report warned that “without action, the NCD epidemic is projected to kill 52 million people annually by 2030.”
The report concluded that  80 percent of these deaths occurred in low and middle income countries such as Nigeria.

From the report, cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17 million people annually, followed by cancer 7.6 million, respiratory disease 4.2 million, and diabetes 1.3 million). These four groups of diseases account for around 80 per cent of all NCD deaths, and share four common risk factors: tobacco use, inadequate physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, and poor diets.

Reacting to the report; WHO Director_General, Dr. Margaret Chan said “The rise of chronic noncommunicable diseases presents an enormous challenge”

Chan who spoke while launching the report at its Global Forum on addressing the challenge of noncommunicable diseases held yesterday in Moscow, Russian Federation further noted that “For some countries, it is no exaggeration to describe the situation as an impending disaster; a disaster for health, society, and most of all for national economies.”

The WHO Director – General explained that chronic noncommunicable diseases deliver a two_punch blow to development. According to her, they cause billions of dollars in losses of national income, and they push millions of people below the poverty line, each and every year.

But millions of deaths can be prevented by stronger implementation of measures that exist today. “These include policies that promote government_wide action against NCDs: stronger anti_tobacco controls and promoting healthier diets, physical activity, and reducing harmful use of alcohol; along with improving people’s access to essential healthcare.”

The Global Status Report on NCDs provides global, regional and country_specific statistics, evidence, and experiences needed to launch a more forceful response to the growing threat posed by chronic noncommunicable diseases. It provides a baseline to chart future NCD trends and responses in countries, including in terms of its socioeconomic impacts.

The report provides advice and recommendations for all countries and pays special attention to conditions in low and middle_income countries which are hardest hit by NCDs