INTRODUCTION - NCD

Increasing life expectancy in South Asia is resulting in a demographic transition that can, under the right circumstances, yield dividends through more favorable dependency ratios for a time. With aging, the disease burden shifts toward noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)1 which can threaten healthy aging.However, securing the gains expected from the demographic dividend—where developing countries’ working and nondependent population increases and per capita income thus rises— is both achievable and affordable through efficiently tacking NCDs with prevention and control efforts.

This book looks primarily at cardiovascular disease (CVD) and tobacco use since they account for a disproportionate amount of the NCD burden—the focus is strategic, rather than comprehensive. It considers both country- and regional-level approaches for tackling NCDs as many of the issues and challenges of mounting an effective response are common to most South Asian countries. For some efforts, especially with prevention, regional cooperation offers additional advantages.

Goal of this book

The goal of this book is to encourage countries to develop, adopt, and implement effective and timely country and, where appropriate, regional responses that reduce both population-level risk factors and the NCD burden.

The work aims to develop

(i) an NCD burden and risk factor profile for all countries and
the region as a whole.
(ii) a rationale for public policy and action for NCDs
(iii) a framework to guide the formulation of public policies and strategies for NCDs
(iv) a country profile, including capacity and ongoing NCD activities, as well as policy options and actions for NCDs that will help stimulate policy dialogue within and among countries
(v) a regional strategy for NCD prevention and control where
regional collaboration offers added value.