Aligning Policy Options with Burden and Capacity(CONT...)

Moving to the higher burden and higher capacity context, the framework is more expanded. Again, for both population- and individual-based interventions, capacity assessment, planning, and human resource development are common issues. Surveillance systems address both prevention and treatment.

Policy development includes those implemented both within and outside the health sector and the development of clinical quality initiatives. The need for a regulatory framework an health financing emerge as major items. Monitoring and impact evaluation become critical to guide decisions for scaling up and for broader implementation.

Many countries have already launched efforts at various stages and can build on those efforts. In addition, large countries such as India and Pakistan have substantial NCD burden and capacity variation within their borders, and should consider tailoring policy for subnational regions.

In conclusion, many elements in this framework are not solely NCDs issues. However, these elements are critical for successful disease prevention and control. Because many individual-based interventions are delivered in a primary care setting, it is important that institutional issues that impede general health service delivery be addressed, as these would also impact delivery of NCD-related services.

The policy options framework can be applied to NCDs all taken together and for individual NCDs, such as CVD or diabetes, because the options are essentially the same. Also, this method of burden, capacity, and country assessment, then applying this framework, can be used in other regions to inform policy discussions.