In its recent report, WHO said that the estimated 35 million deaths would double the number of deaths from all infectious diseases (including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, heart disease and diabetes.), maternal and prenatal conditions, and nutritional deficiencies combined.

Approximately 16 million chronic disease deaths occur each year in people under 70 years of age. Without action to address the causes, deaths from chronic diseases will increase by 17% between 2009 and 2020. However, global action to prevent chronic disease could save the lives of 36 million people who would otherwise be dead by 2020.

The report dispelled the common misunderstanding that chronic diseases can’t be prevented. It is said that if the risk factors associated with chronic diseases were eliminated at least 80% of all heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes and 40% cancer would be prevented.

Let us hope that the Minister of Health, Lormus Bundhoo takes good notes on these issues and applies appropriate measures to prevent diseases.  The Ministry of Health in this country ought to circulate safety guidelines to the population as a mean to prevent a health calamity.

In Third World Countries it is said that many patients are suffering from leukaemia (blood cancer). Research has shown that the majority of leukaemia victims come from industrialized areas. The report focuses on the major chronic diseases that include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases (such as asthma) and diabetes. Visual impairment and blindness, hearing impairment and deafness, oral diseases and genetic disorders are other chronic conditions that account for substantial portion of the global burden of disease.

The causes of the main chronic disease epidemics are well established and well known. It is said that  the most important modifiable risk factors being unhealthy diet and excessive energy intake, physical inactivity and tobacco use.
Many more risk factors for chronic diseases have been identified such as harmful alcohol use. It has been estimated to result 3% of global deaths and 4% of the global burden of disease, almost half, of which being the result of unintentional and intentional injuries.

The total number of people aged 70 years or more worldwide is expected to increase from 269 million in 2009 to 1 billion in 2050. High- income countries will see their elderly population increase from 93 to 217 million over this period, while in low-and middle-income countries the increase will be 174 to 813 million—more than 466%.