Prevention is better than cure: tackling non-communicable diseases in developing countries by focusing on prevention

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally.1 Developing countries are not spared from this public health dilemma. Tackling the rising scourge of NCDs in developing countries is not just a public health issue but it is also a developmental issue that requires urgent public health actions, interventions and an all of society approach.Diseases such as diabetes mellitus are expected to rise to a significantly high prevalence. The World Health Organization estimates that the number of people with diabetes worldwide will be at least 300 million by 2025.2 This drastic increase will definitely put a burden on the public health system of these countries that are already struggling to finance healthcare.Sustainable development is therefore hindered if we do not address this rising scourge of NCDs in these countries. By promoting sustainable development, we help to prevent NCDs, and by preventing NCDs, we help to promote sustainable development.Financing healthcare in developing countries is an issue of much debate. With the prevalence of NCDs rising globally and with these diseases expecting to take a great proportion of healthcare budgets, ways must be sought to decrease the burden of these diseases. Interventions that require less spending but have been proven to be cost effective must be sought and employed in order to decrease the burden of these diseases, improve the quality of life in these countries and also to promote sustainable development.It is well documented that lack of exercise, improper diet, tobacco and alcohol use are all major risk factors for NCDs.1 If we can work on promoting health and focus on prevention by targeting these risk factors, then a great part of the fight against NCDs will be won. The burden of long-term treatment and care will be decreased drastically, and so developing countries will not have to worry about spending huge sums of money on advanced long-term care for these diseases.There is strong evidence that physical inactivity is related to ill health as a factor that contributes to heart disease3 - lack of exercise can be considered as serious as smoking. In developing countries, we need to make people aware of the health consequences of inactivity and start to encourage exercise. By creating a society where physical activity is a vital component of daily lives, we can reduce the prevalence of some NCDs.Unhealthy diets composed of processed food, high in sugar, salts and fats, are harmful to our health. An unhealthy diet is a cause of obesity, which is now a major public health concern. It is documented that good diet is essential to prevent these diseases.Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death,4 causing one in six NCDs. It is a risk factor for six out of the world's eight leading causes of death and causes nearly six million deaths per year. …