MADRID, (EUROPA PRESS) – Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes, are responsible for more than 70 percent of all deaths in the world, according to the Director General of the Organization World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, at a press conference this Wednesday.
However, he has specified that “nowhere is the threat of NCDs felt more intensely than in small island developing States”.
A new WHO report shows that 8 of the 15 countries with more than a 30 percent risk of premature death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes or chronic respiratory disease are “small island countries.”
Specifically, the 10 countries with the highest obesity rates in the world are all small Pacific islands, where more than 45 percent of adults live with obesity. In addition, mental illnesses are also common in small island developing States.
The director general of the WHO also warned that this situation is worsened by the climate crisis. “Small island states account for one percent of the world’s population and economy and emit less than one percent of greenhouse gases, but are disproportionately and severely affected by climate change and natural disasters,” he said. explained he.
For all these reasons, WHO joined the leaders of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to sign the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration on Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health.
“The Bridgetown declaration is a collective call to all countries to support Small Island Developing States in addressing the impact of noncommunicable diseases and mental health,” said Tedros, who has appealed to all leaders and partners to lend their support.
DENGUE OUTBREAK IN PERU
On the other hand, at the press conference held from Geneva (Switzerland), Tedros recalled that Peru has declared a state of emergency due to its worst dengue outbreak on record. Since the beginning of this year, nearly 150,000 suspected cases have been reported, more than half of which have been laboratory-confirmed.
The number of cases reported so far this year is more than double the number reported in the same period last year, and more than four times the average for the last 5 years.
“Although less than one percent of the cases are of the severe, life-threatening type of dengue, these cases are placing a heavy burden on Peru’s health system,” said the director general of the United Nations health agency. United.
In response, WHO is supporting the country to strengthen vector control, surveillance and clinical management, through the training of more than 6,000 health workers.
SITUATION IN SUDAN
Finally, Tedros recalled that two months have passed since the start of the fighting in Sudan, which has “seriously” affected the provision of health services, leaving 11 million people in need of health care.
“About 2/3 of the health facilities in the affected areas are out of service. Repeated attacks on health facilities, medical warehouses, ambulances and medical personnel are preventing patients and medical personnel from reaching hospitals,” he said. detailed.
In this way, critical services, including trauma and emergency services, have been interrupted. “Controlling the current epidemics of measles, malaria and dengue fever poses significant challenges,” said the WHO director-general.
“The risk of epidemics will only increase given the upcoming rainy season, limited access to drinking water, population displacements and limited ability to detect outbreaks early,” he concluded.
