WHPA NCD Campaign Media Release

WHPA NCD Campaign Media Release

Health Professions unite to issue warning on global epidemic of non-communicable diseases

Geneva, Switzerland/ 16 May 2011

The world’s health professions warned today that the global epidemic of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) had become a significant threat to human health and development and unless urgently addressed, the burden of NCDs would continue its dramatic increase.

In launching a new campaign, the World Health Professions WHPA, representing more than 26 million health professionals in 130 countries, declared that non-communicable diseases should be viewed in a holistic way as a combined threat to global health.

In a joint statement, the global leaders of nurses, pharmacists, physical therapists, dentists and physicians, said what is needed is a single strategy to prevent and manage non-communicable diseases. NCDs – including cardiovascular disease, some cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, mental disorders and oral disease – accounted for more than 60 percent of global deaths, killing 36 million people in 2008, many prematurely.

For full content, please refer to the source!