Are low-and-middle-income countries using scarce resources effectively to tackle noncommunicable diseases in the pandemic era?

Abstract

The noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden continues to grow and is a major threat to socioeconomic development, particularly in low-and-middle-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant negative impact on the prevention and control of NCDs. Pre-existing challenges to the prevention and control of NCDs, including financial and health workforce limitations, have been further intensified by the COVID -pandemic. Despite these barriers, accelerating action to address NCDs is imperative to reduce premature mortality and escalating healthcare costs. In the post-pandemic context, a strong focus on cost and sustainability considerations is essential for making progress on reducing premature mortality by one-third by 2030: Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4. Low and middle income countries (LMIC) can succeed only by prioritizing the implementation and national scale-up of at least 16 very cost-effective NCD interventions. Among them are population-wide policy interventions which address tobacco, harmful use of alcohol, physical inactivity and unhealthy diet. The only health system intervention affordable to all LMICs embraces the total risk approach to tackle hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking and overweight in an integrated manner in a primary health care pathway. The burden of sustainability calls for the inclusion of best buy interventions as integral components of the basic benefits package of Universal Health Coverage initiatives.

Keywords

• Noncommunicable diseases Low-middle income countries
• Pandemic