Welcome to the first installment of our Focus Friday series -- where we will share feature content in the form of a picture, graphic, or chart. We hope you will join our discussion and look forward to your comments.
Every year across the globe, 15 million people die before the age of 70 from chronic and non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancers, diabetes and obesity. As this interactive map shows, advances in higher life expectancy have been offset by the rise of these diseases. Non-communicable diseases are increasingly responsible for premature deaths and disabilities in countries around the world, irrespective of wealth.
Dr. Muhammad Pate, Global Director for Health, Nutrition and Population at the World Bank, says that “one of the most effective ways to address non-communicable diseases is by ramping up investments in affordable, quality primary health care.This makes sense both from a health and an economic perspective. Putting more resources on the frontlines to detect and treat conditions early, before they become more serious, saves lives, improves health outcomes, reduces health care costs and strengthens outbreak preparedness.”
Do you agree? Share your thoughts below.
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