Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, are diseases which are not transmitted from person to person. They are of long duration and slow progression. Globally NCDs kill more than 36 million people each year. It disproportionately affects low and middle-income countries where nearly 80% of NCD deaths (29 million) occur. More than nine million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur before the age of 60; 90% of these "premature" deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries.

They are the leading causes of death in all regions except Africa, but current projections indicate that by 2020 the largest increases in NCDs deaths will occur in Africa. In African nations deaths from NCDs are projected to exceed the combined deaths of communicable and nutritional diseases and maternal and perinatal deaths as the most common causes of death by 2030. (WHO fact sheet, updated March 2013).

Some NCDs are very common, making the global prevalence of NCDs very high. The four main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (like heart attacks, stroke and hypertension), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes. These four groups of diseases account for around 80% of all NCDs deaths. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.3 million people annually, followed by cancers (7.6 million), respiratory diseases (4.2 million), and diabetes (1.3 million).

Non-communicable diseases have been established as a clear threat not only to human health but also to development and economic growth. Half of those who die of chronic NCDs are in the prime of their productive years, and thus, the disability imposed and the lives lost are also endangering industry competitiveness across borders. (World Economic Forum 2014). It is estimated that the four major NCDs along with mental illness, will cost the developing world $21 trillion over the next two decades. NCDs share four main behavioural risk factors, all of which will likely escalate in developing countries: tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, insufficient physical activity, and unhealthy diet/obesity.

In 2010, more than 2 million deaths due to NCDs occurred in sub-Saharan Africa (SSAF), a 46% increase from 1990. In Ethiopia, as a developing country where the problems from NCDs are paramount, the health and socio-economic burden from NCDs is not easy. The most common behavioral risk factors for the neglected NCDs, such as, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, insufficient physical activity, and unhealthy dietary habit/obesity can be reduced or avoided through health promotion and prevention initiatives, and in turn, this could avoid more than half of the NCDs burden, (World Bank report). This module contains eight study sessions which briefly describe the unit of competencies in the area of the major NCDs for level 3 HES education. This module will help the HES trainees to acquire the required knowledge, skill and attitude to act in the health promotion and prevention activities of their community which in turn significantly contribute to the reduction of NCDs in the country. Most of the content of this module is extracted from level IV Health Extension practitioners training program module and tailored for the level III training program.


Last modified: Thursday, 6 October 2016, 2:03 AM