NCD Countdown 2030

This article in The Lancet illustrates the global burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and assesses progress towards reducing premature mortality associated with NCDs. In particular, the article examines progress towards realizing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.4: A 30 percent reduction in premature mortality in people aged 30–70 years from cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. Of note, an estimated 40.5 million (71%) of the 56.9 million deaths worldwide were from NCDs in 2016. An estimated 32.2 million NCD deaths (80%) were due to the four major NCDs, and another 8.3 million (20%) were from other NCDs. Although there is a heavy global disease burden from NCDs, fewer than half of the 186 countries included in the NCD Countdown 2030 analysis are currently on track to meet the SDG target. Using evidence from collected data, the authors determine the probability of NCD mortality based on country, and further categorize this information by gender. Additionally, the analysis conveys that significant reduction of NCD mortality requires policies that substantially reduce tobacco and alcohol use and blood pressure, while increasing equitable access to efficient and high-quality preventive and curative care for acute and chronic NCDs.

This analysis was led by NCD Countdown 2030, a collaborative effort from the World Health Organization (WHO), NCD Alliance, Imperial College, and The Lancet to provide mechanism for countries to monitor their progress toward SDG Target 3.4. This independent collaboration informs policies aimed to reduce the worldwide burden of NCDs using country-specific baseline data against which countries can track their process, while also being held accountable to the global goals.