Non-communicable diseases may be neglected in post-2015 sustainable development goals

Date: Jul-23-2013While non-communicable diseases (NCDs) exact a heavy burden on populations and governments around the world, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, it is not clear that they will be included or prioritized within the new development agenda to replace the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) programme that ends in 2015.

Devi Sridhar from the University of Edinburgh and colleagues argue in this week's PLOS Medicine that if non-communicable diseases are included in the new health goals, it is likely they will be included "via the broad umbrella of healthy life expectancy, or the sector-specific target of universal health coverage (UHC) or access," say the authors. But they argue: healthy life expectancy or universal health coverage, "as currently conceived are unlikely to adequately incorporate NCDs that require alternative health system mechanisms and clear governmental intervention."

Courtesy: Medical News Today Note: Any medical information available in this news section is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional.