Washington, D.C., 29 September 2016 (PAHO/WHO) - Noncommunicable diseases-including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer-are a major threat to economic growth and development in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, especially low- and middle-income countries, warned experts from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and other organizations. Investing in prevention and control of these diseases is needed to mitigate the impact of these diseases, the experts said.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) cause 4.8 million deaths each year in the Americas, and more than a third of these deaths are premature, that is, in people under age 70. Moreover, hundreds of millions of people with NCDs require long-term care.

"It is not only the health impact that concerns us about the NCD situation; it is also its economic impact," said PAHO Assistant Director Francisco Becerra in presenting the book Economic Dimensions of Noncommunicable Diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean during a side event to the 55th Directing Council in Washington, D.C. "There is compelling information provided in this new publication about how the NCD burden threatens economic growth and development in our region. Loss in productivity is substantial, because of the sheer magnitude of people affected by, and dying prematurely from NCDs."

Becerra noted that NCDs are responsible for significant out-of-pocket spending on health services and can contribute to the impoverishment of families. "As such, without intensifying the response to NCDs, countries could expect their gross domestic product to decline considerably," he said. "It is key that governments take a truly multisectoral approach to NCDs, by convening all relevant government and non-state actors to collectively implement NCD prevention and control programs, policies, and regulations more aggressively." He said PAHO is committed to supporting countries in these efforts.

The new publication presents up-to-date evidence on the economic and health impacts of noncommunicable diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean and describes effective health- and multisectoral policies for responding to these diseases. Anselm Hennis, director of PAHO's Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health department, said the book provides tools to develop more effective policies on NCDs by incorporating an economic perspective.

André Medici, a World Bank economist and co-author of the book, urged health advocates to engage ministers of economy in discussions about the impact of NCDs on economies, to promote policy changes and support efforts to reduce risk factors and improve treatment. "There is a mismatch between NCD incidence and the resources that are allocated toward NCDs in our region," said Medici. He added that NCDs contribute to the cycle of poverty, because of the direct costs of care as well as lost income, which together can push entire families into poverty.

Rachel Rodin, of Public Health Canada, described some of the economic benefits of preventive action on NCDs, including savings as a result of engaging in physical activity or consuming healthier foods. Rodin said preliminary data show how much more expensive it is when people do not practice health habits for prevention. She said the publication provides an important impetus to integrating the economic dimension into efforts to address NCDs. "This situation is not sustainable. We need to begin early and invest now in prevention," she said.

Economic Dimensions of Noncommunicable Diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean was presented as a companion volume to the 3rd edition of the series Disease Control Priorities (DCP3). The publication was published jointly by PAHO and the University of Washington and was developed in collaboration with the World Bank, the University of Washington, and the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico. The volume features a dozen articles in five chapters, written by 45 authors from the Region of the Americas.

- To download the publication visit: Economic Dimensions of Noncommunicable Diseases in Latin America and the Caribbean