By 2030 diseases associated with wealth will kill more people in sub-Saharan Africa than diseases associated with poverty. The sharp increase in diseases linked to lifestyle, or noncommunicable diseases (NDCs), is putting pressure on health systems already buckling under the burden of infectious diseases, and threatening recent development progress, which is why reducing premature mortality from NCDs by one-third through prevention and treatment and promoting mental health and well-being is a key target of the Sustainable Development Goals.

NCDs require a whole-of-government approach: it’s not just about health, it’s about roads, livelihoods, architecture, education, [and] urban planning.

While governments across the region are having some success in addressing acute and infectious diseases, a more somber picture emerges in relation to NCDs and reaching the 2030 target. Between 2010 and 2015, deaths from NCDs as a proportion of all mortalities rose from 29.4 percent to 33.5 percent, and now claim 3.1 million lives a year. According to the World Health Organization, Africa is experiencing the largest increase in NCD mortalities globally. Yet many African countries are not prioritizing the issue, choosing instead to tackle diseases such as cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS.

Read the full article on noncommunicable diseases at Devex International Development