About NCDs

NCD stands for non-communicable diseases and includes cancer, diabetes, lung and heart diseases, as a contrary to communicable diseases like malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.

What are NCDs?

Illustration: The global NCD alliance

Most NCDs are preventable, and can be prevented by:

  • Quit smoking
  • Drink responsibly
  • Eat healthy
  • Exercise

 
NCD is the largest killer in the world. By 2015 around 40 million deaths, amounting to 70% of all global deaths, were related to NCDs. More than 40% of these were premature, i.e. before the age of 70, and nearly 3/4 of all NCD deaths happened in developing countries.

Source: The global NCD Alliance and WHO World Health Statistics 2017