Dr. Margaret Chan & Michael Bloomberg: Political Will Needed to Win Fight Against Noncommunicable Diseases
Our modern way of life is a major cause of many noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Initially lifestyle diseases of industrialized countries, they have long since reached developing countries and lead to serious consequences and tremendous costs for health care systems worldwide. Above all, the implementation of sustainable solutions calls for political action.
The biggest health threats worldwide do not always attract headlines, but confronting them is an urgent challenge. Chronic, lifestyle-related diseases – such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes, known collectively as noncommunicable diseases – are the deadliest diseases of our time: these diseases kill 16 million people each year before their 70th birthdays. Too often, these diseases are accepted as inevitable. They are not
