NCDs – the global and local context

The World Health Organization defines NCDs as chronic diseases that are not passed from person to person. The major globally prioritized NCDs are cardiovascular disease (including stroke and heart attack), diabetes, cancers, and chronic lung diseases (like asthma and emphysema). Other NCDs of major worldwide importance are mental illnesses such as depression, neurological disorders such as epilepsy, and blood disorders such as sickle cell disease. Together, NCDs are responsible for 60 percent of deaths worldwide. Eighty percent of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries and no region on earth is experiencing a faster rise in NCDs than sub-Saharan Africa. Since NCDs effects people in poor countries at younger ages than in rich countries, the economic losses from NCDs are massive- about $7 trillion- and growing.

Uganda, a country of over 30 million people in East Africa, is being greatly affected by NCDs. Moreso, like most low- and middle-income countries in the world, Uganda is facing a troubling double burden of disease. In other words, infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis (as well as many others) remain a huge problem just as the burden of NCDs is rising. This places major stresses on Uganda’s health system- one that is not prepared to cater to these complex, inter-related, chronic diseases. Instead of addressing these diseases in an integrated fashion, all too often, the health system has a very fragmented approach that is not good for patients, healthcare workers, or the system.

UINCD is working to shift the paradigm in Uganda. We also want our work to be scalable to other countries- both poor and rich. It’s not just low- and middle-income countries which will benefit from new models of integrated delivery platforms for NCDs. High income, developed countries have much to learn about integration of chronic disease management as well.