Key Points
- WHO says NCDs killed 43m people in 2021
- NCDs account for 74pc of all deaths worldwide
- 86pc of 17m deaths occur in low and middle-income countries
ISLAMABAD: Coordinator to the Pakistan Prime Minister on Health Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad Bharath has called for higher taxes on ultra-processed food items to tackle the high prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
He said the rise in ultra-processed food consumption was fueling a health crisis and diabetes, obesity, and other non-communicable diseases were on the rise, straining the healthcare system.
Let’s make health a priority. It’s time to act!” –Pakistan PM’s aide Dr Malik Mukhtar Ahmad
Dr Mukhtar emphasised that such discouraging measures will curb consumption and generate revenue to reinvest in the public healthcare system, ensuring a healthier future for all.
Deaths worldwide
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), non-communicable diseases, including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for 74 per cent of all deaths worldwide.
More than three-quarters of all NCD deaths, and 86 per cent of the 17 million people who died prematurely, or before reaching 70 years of age, occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Major risk factors
NCDs share five major risk factors including tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution.
The epidemic of NCDs poses devastating health consequences for individuals, families and communities, and threatens to overwhelm health systems.
The socioeconomic costs associated with NCDs make the prevention and control of these diseases a major development imperative for the 21st century, the global health body says.
Amid the crisis, calls for evidence-based action including surveillance, prevention and control of non-communicable diseases are increasing.
Urgent government action is needed to meet global targets and reduce the burden of NCDs.
