Noncommunicable diseases (NCD), especially cancer, cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and diabetes are major public health issues in almost all countries in the Region. Cancer is now one of the five leading causes of death in 26 countries and areas. Some 3.5 million cancer cases occur each year. A great proportion of the increase in cancer mortality is due to a rise in the prevalence of lung cancer, attributable to the increasing prevalence of cigarette smoking among both sexes.
CVD is one of the leading causes of death in 32 of the Region's 36 countries and areas, accounting for 3 million deaths in the Region each year. The prevalence of hypertension exceeds 10% in 19 countries and areas. This significantly contributes to the rates of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure and renal failure.
Diabetes has become one of the most daunting challenges to public health in the Region. The prevalence of diabetes exceeds 8% in 13 countries and areas of the Region. There is a particularly high prevalence in Pacific island countries. Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, renal failure and lower limb amputations. The current number of people with diabetes in the Region is estimated to be 30 million. There will be at least 55 million adults with diabetes in the Region by the year 2025.
The occurrence and progress of NCD is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and behaviours such as smoking, diets that are high in saturated fat and salt, and lack of physical activity, and the environments that give rise to them. Most NCD are preventable through development of integrated public policies and national programmes focusing on primary prevention, health promotion, control of risk factors and changes in risk-taking behaviours.
Thus, attention needs to be paid to factors and strategies that would promote behaviour change. If NCD are undiagnosed or improperly controlled they impose a considerable economic burden when treatment is delayed until the later stages. For example, diabetes care claims on the average around 8% of the total health budget in developed countries. In New Zealand, 10% of the health budget is spent on diabetes care. Early detection and good control of hypertension and diabetes through curative services at community and district levels will greatly contribute to prevention of coronary heart disease, stroke, renal failure and other complications.