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PAHO warns of NCDs spreading in the region Wednesday, March 26th 2025 – 20:55 UTC Full article 0 comments “The good news is that we have the knowledge and tools to prevent and control NCDs,” Barbosa pointed out The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has issued an urgent call to address the primary factors contributing to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which claim approximately 6 million lives annually in the Americas. At the Regional Meeting on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases held in Brasilia, PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa highlighted that over 240 million people in the region live with NCDs, such as hypertension, diabetes, and cancer, requiring continuous treatment. However, many lack adequate care due to poor management and control. Barbosa emphasized the severe economic impact of NCDs, noting projections that estimate combined economic losses of US$ 7.3 trillion by 2050 in ten South American countries, equivalent to 4% of the sub-region’s GDP. Despite a decline in premature NCD mortality from 15.2% in 2010 to 14% in 2021, only five countries in the Americas are on track to meet the global target of reducing premature NCD deaths by 25% by 2025. He outlined cost-effective solutions, or “best buys,” including raising taxes on tobacco and alcohol, implementing front-of-package food labeling, vaccinating against HPV to prevent cervical cancer, and improving treatment for hypertension and diabetes. “The good news is that we have the knowledge and tools to prevent and control NCDs,” Barbosa said. “Many of these interventions are already being implemented in our countries, but we must urgently scale up and accelerate their implementation, in addition to ensuring quality health care for all affected people,” he added. While these measures are in progress in some countries, Barbosa stressed the need to scale up and accelerate their implementation, alongside ensuring quality healthcare access for all affected individuals. The meeting focused on key priorities to meet the 25×25 target, such as increasing investment in NCD prevention, expanding primary healthcare access, and promoting multisectoral policy coherence. PAHO’s “Better Care for NCDs” initiative, launched in 2023, aims to enhance equitable access to comprehensive NCD services within primary care. Barbosa urged collaborative efforts to achieve these targets and improve health outcomes across the Americas ahead of the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in September 2025. “Over 240 million people in the Americas are living with NCDs and require continuous treatment, most of which can be provided through primary health care,” the PAHO Director pointed out. “However, many people do not receive adequate care or succumb to their illness due to poor management and control.” “The economic dimensions of NCDs are also staggering,” Barbosa went on, highlighting that while further studies are needed to determine the regional impact, current projections show that in ten countries of South America, NCDs and mental health conditions are expected to result in combined economic losses totaling US$7.3 trillion by 2050, equivalent to 4% of the sub-region’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Categories: Health & Science , Politics , Brazil , International , Latin America . Tags: Jarbas Barbosa , Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) . Top Comments Disclaimer & comment rules No comments for this story Please log in or register (it’s free!) to comment. Login with Facebook
