Non-Communicable Diseases

Non-communicable diseases are chronic health conditions that are not contagious to others. These have genetic, lifestyle, or environmental causes rather than viral or bacterial, and they are characterized as health conditions that:

• Aren’t caused by acute infections or illness
• Result in long-term health issues
• Require long-term treatment and care, such as lifestyle changes or medication

Health conditions that are considered non-communicable diseases include:

• Cancer‌
• Cardiovascular disease
• Diabetes
• Chronic lung illnesses
• Injuries that cause permanent damage
• Arthritic conditions

Non-communicable diseases are the number one cause of death and disability around the world. Worldwide statistics regarding non-communicable diseases show that:

• Non-communicable diseases kill 41 million people worldwide on an annual basis. This accounts for 71% of all deaths globally.
• Each year, 15 million people around the world die prematurely between the ages of 30 and 69 years old from a non-communicable disease. Cardiovascular diseases make up most non-communicable disease deaths. Since 2000, the largest increase in deaths has been for this disease, rising by more than 2 million to 8.9 million deaths in 2019.  In Tanzania in 2019, 15.4% of deaths were from cardiovascular disease. 

Cardiovascular diseases. These conditions affect your blood vessels and heart. They include coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Cardiovascular diseases may alter your quality of life and left untreated can be life threatening.

Cancer. This disease happens when cells in your body mutate and begin dividing and growing. There are many kinds of cancer that can develop anywhere in the body. Although most are determined by genetics or environmental factors, a few forms of cancer can be caused by viruses such as HPV or hepatitis.

Chronic respiratory diseases. These health conditions impact your lungs in the long term and do not usually subside. The most common chronic respiratory conditions are asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Without proper treatment, these diseases may cause permanent damage to your lungs and airways.‌

Diabetes. If your body cannot regulate the levels of sugar in your blood, you may have diabetes. It is incurable, although it can be controlled. Once you receive a diabetes diagnosis, you must change your diet and maintain recommended dosages of medication to prevent the condition from worsening.

Not all non-communicable diseases are preventable, but you can lower your risk by maintaining healthy habits. 

Risk Factors