World Bank report predicts:
Steep rise likely in global NCD deaths over next 10 years
Rasika SOMARATHNA
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular
disease, chronic respiratory disease, chronic liver diseases and
diabetes, are Sri Lanka’s number one killer constituting 70% of all
deaths annually, experts said yesterday.
They said that if adequate efforts are not made at prevention and
control the numbers could grow by at least 15 percent in the next 10
years.
These predictions were made at the launch of an international
programme, Asian Collaboration for Excellence in NCD Prevention and
Control (ASCEND in Sri Lanka, which aims to train and support early
career researchers from Sri Lanka, India and Malaysia to enhance and
develop their skills in NCD prevention and control.
The programme which aims to strengthen the capacity of Sri Lanka and
the region in the fight against NCD’s was launched at the Sri Lanka
Foundation Institute under the patronage of Health Minister Maithripala
Sirisena.
“According to experts who spoke at the launch, the World Health
Organisation(WHO) predicts that over the next 10 years, Asia will see a
major increase in deaths from NCD’s. According to a 2011 World Bank
report, NCD’s are currently responsible for over half of the disease
burden in Asia.
“Globally deaths from NCD’s are expected to increase by 15 percent
(44 million deaths) in the next 10 years with South-East Asia bearing
the brunt (10.4 million), if efforts at prevention and control does not
yield desired results, “ the World Bank report states .
Deputy Health Minister Lalith Dissanayake identified combating NCD’s
as a major challenge. He said that the government was making every
effort at prevention and control with a Rs.900 million allocation to
implement related programmes within next three years.
The deputy minister while calling for life style changes to prevent
NCD’s said that these illnesses are related to only a few modifiable
risk factors, cigarette smoking, unhealthy eating habits, lack of
physical exercise and alcohol.
Twenty five professionals from these three countries have started
training in 2011 and another 28 have started the programme. Eighteen
trainees in total are undergoing training from Sri Lanka.
ASCEND’s training programme provides research training related to the
prevention and control of NCD’s, mentoring and leadership skills. It is
specifically designed for Asian Researchers who are build ing careers in
the field including public health professionals, university staff, post
graduate students and early career researchers who wish to build their
research expertise.
The 18-month trainee programme uses a combination of face-to-face
teaching, on line learning, peer support and mentoring methods.
Overall Director of ASCEND is Prof.Brian Oldenburg from Monash
University, Australia. Dr.Prasad Katulanda leads the team in Sri Lanka.
The current ASCEND training institutes are Monash University of Malaysia
and Australia, University of Colombo, University of North Carolina, USA
and Sree Chitra Tirunal Inst. for Medical Science, India. The WHO and
the JICA have also extended their support towards the programme in Sri
Lanka. |