Non-Communicable Diseases: The Leading Global Health Threat
- Sarah Gibson
- Mar 17
- 2 min read
When you think about people in countries where EMMS International works, what do you think makes them unwell? Maybe you think of children being bitten by mosquitos and developing malaria. Or maybe you think about HIV and the millions of people, predominantly in Africa, who need access to effective prevention and treatment options. Or you might even think of tuberculosis, an ancient disease that has plagued humans for thousands of years with evidence of TB in humans dating back over 4,000 years ago to ancient Egyptian mummies.[1]
While these causes undoubtedly cause ill health and suffering, it may surprise you to know that the leading causes of death globally are the same things we typically worry about, such as: heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, dementia and diabetes. In other words, it is non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that account for most of the ill health globally. In fact, at a global level in 2021, seven of the ten leading causes of deaths were NCDs, accounting for 38% of all deaths, or 68% of the top ten causes.[2] NCDs killed at least 43 million people in 2021, equivalent to 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally, with 73% of those deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries. In 2021, 18 million people who died from an NCD were under 70 years of age and 82% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
In February, I represented EMMS at the Global NCD Alliance Forum in Kigali, Rwanda where over 650 delegates from across the world gathered together under the theme of ‘Leadership on NCDs towards 2025 & beyond’ to strategise, coordinate and unite ahead of the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs, happening in September 2025.
This meeting offers a crucial platform to build commitments to align fiscal policies with health priorities. With 80% of NCDs linked to preventable risk factors like smoking, alcohol, poor diets, and air pollution, we have the tools to fight back, and we need the political will and financial resources.
As I listened to and talked with partners from across the globe, I was struck by the profound need for long-term care of people living with NCDs to help them manage their health as well as their family responsibilities, in short for holistic palliative care. Currently, WHO estimates that globally only 14% of patients who need palliative care receive it.[3] Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centred health services that relieves serious health-related suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual.
Working with local partners, EMMS works in Malawi, Nepal, Rwanda and Zambia to deliver holistic palliative care to people suffering from a range of diseases including NCDs, infectious diseases and injuries. With your support, we can be part of the solution to ease the pain and suffering caused by NCDs.
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