Although all chronic diseases are not fatal, some of them do kill and persist throughout life causing long-term suffering to people who live with them. They may never go away but on the other hand, disrupt and change our life in a number of ways.
We are witnesses to how chronically ill patients face those challenges like disabilities, pain, distress, anger, hopelessness, frustration, anxiety, and in some cases social isolation and loneliness, in addition to the high expenditure involved in the treatments. Some diseases like diabetes linger over time and need intensive care.
But unfortunately, the prevalence of chronic disease is growing globally, not just because people everywhere are living longer than ever but due to increased disease prevalence among children and younger adults. People of all age groups, regions and countries are affected by NCDs.
A new report by World Health Organization (WHO) reveals that chronic diseases also known as non-communicable diseases or NCDs are claiming around three-quarters of all lives lost globally each year.
According to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, chief of the UN health agency, “the number sends a stark message on the threat of NCDs, which take an immense and increasing toll on lives, livelihoods, health systems, communities, economies and societies”.
At the global level, NCDs which include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes, claim the lives of around 41 million people each year, accounting for 71 per cent of the total deaths.
What makes it more alarming is that the NCD crisis, fueled by changing social, economic, and structural factors including more people moving to cities and the spread of unhealthy lifestyles, kills 15 million people prematurely every year. Modifiable behaviours, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, all increase the risk of these diseases.
The growth in the number of individuals with chronic diseases is likely to continue at the same existing trajectory. Over the next several decades, it is expected to worsen among all age groups.
The increasing toll of NCDs means that if the trend were to continue, says the WHO report, by around 2050, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses will account for 86 per cent of the 90 million deaths each year.
This means a staggering 90 per cent increase in absolute numbers, since 2019! During the devastating Covid-19 pandemic, we found how the virus put a dangerous strain on the lives of people with chronic diseases. They faced worse clinical outcomes than an average patient!
During the period of the pandemic, people living with NCDs, experienced difficulties even in accessing their routine medicines.
Hence there should be a long-term goal that can direct the health systems towards prevention. Instead of waiting until people have acquired irreversible conditions due to smoking, diet or lack of exercise, health personnel can help children and adults maintain a healthy lifestyle and address issues before they become incurable.
As reports suggest, physical inactivity is a key risk factor for NCDs. Recent estimates show that approximately 31 per cent of the world's population does not get enough physical activity to protect their health.
A disease and consequent death of a loved one, especially if one dies prematurely, can create numerous psychological issues, particularly if the loss is unexpected!
The writer is a freelance journalist and author with nearly four decades of experience in newspapers and magazines in India and GCC
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