Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. It is observed that about 1 in every 3 adults globally suffers from one or more chronic diseases. According to WHO, NCDs will account for more than 70% of all deaths worldwide by 2025, with developing countries accounting for 85% of these.
In the MENA region, the leading top noncommunicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, injuries, and mental health conditions, are creating a burden on patients and a significant impact on healthcare infrastructure.
In MENA, the likelihood of dying prematurely from the four major NCDs, namely cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases, is 19%, compared to 12% in higher-income countries worldwide.
NCDs account for nearly 77% of all deaths in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), putting increasing strain on the population’s well-being, economic development, and healthcare system. Similarly, NCDs account for 73% of all deaths in Saudi Arabia.
Rising Prevalence of Noncommunicable Diseases in MENA
The rise in the noncommunicable diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as their related behavioral risk factors (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity), are posing an increasing economic and public health challenge in the MENA region.
In MENA, 25% of the population suffers from high blood pressure. CVDs, cancer, and diabetes represent one-third of the disease burden. Also, high obesity levels are seen in adults aged 20 years or older. According to the IDF Diabetes Atlas 10th Edition, around 73 million adults aged 20-79 years in the MENA region suffered from diabetes in 2021.
In the UAE, around 990K people had diabetes in 2021, and it is estimated that the number will increase to 1.3 million by 2045. Moreover, breast cancer killed 222 people in the UAE in 2020, followed by lung cancer, which killed 187 people.
In Saudi Arabia, among the noncommunicable diseases, cardiovascular diseases account for 37% of all NCD deaths, with cancer accounting for 10%, diabetes accounting for 3%, respiratory diseases accounting for 3%, and other NCDs accounting for 20%.
Four Major Risk Factors for NCDs
Tobacco Use
Tobacco use is the leading cause of death around the world, and it is the only risk factor contributing to all four major NCDs (CVDs, cancers, diabetes, and chronic respiratory diseases). Tobacco use claims the lives of 6 million people globally each year, which is expected to rise to 8 million by 2030.
Smoking is one of the most common risk factors for cancer in the MENA region, particularly lung cancer. Although smoking rates are declining globally, up to 50% of the MENA population uses tobacco, with rates expected to rise to 62% by 2025.
Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity
Poor diets and physical inactivity contribute to around 12 million NCD deaths globally every year. These reasons lead to overweight and obesity, contributing to various NCDs such as type 2 diabetes, CVDs, and certain cancers.
The highest risk factors for many types of cancer include a poor diet, low physical activity, and higher rates of obesity, all of which are increasing in the MENA region. Egypt, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE have the highest rates of overweight and obesity, with women ranging from 74% to 86% overweight and men ranging from 69% to 77% obese.
Alcohol Use
Harmful alcohol use kills 3 million people worldwide. This accounts for 5.3% of all deaths. Alcohol is responsible for 5.1% of the global burden of disease and injury, as measured in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).
Alcohol use among adolescents is associated with various other health risks, including traffic accidents, risky sexual behaviors, violence, and poor mental health. While alcohol ranks 7th among the leading risk factors for all types of deaths and disabilities worldwide, it ranks 25th in MENA countries.
Existing Strategies and Guiding Policies
NCDs have multifactorial causes; these diseases can be caused by a combination of underlying, modifiable, and non-modifiable risk factors. Investing in primary interventions to reduce behavioral risk factors is the most effective way to prevent NCDs and their metabolic precursors—high blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels, as well as overweight and obesity.
WHO has identified several “best buy” policy interventions that are both cost-effective and high-impact, as well as implementable even in resource-constrained settings. These approaches include taxation and bans on tobacco and alcohol product advertising and promotion, regulations for alcohol availability, enforcement of smoke-free environments in public places, and food industry regulations on salt and saturated fat content.
The regional Gulf Plan for NCD Prevention and Control 2014-2025, which is closely aligned with the global framework (Gulf Health Council 2019), guides NCD prevention in Saudi Arabia.
The rising prevalence of NCD and high expenditure on the healthcare sector in the MENA region are creating opportunities for several pharma companies. Currently, the pharma companies that are operating in the region include Novo Nordisk, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen-Cilag International NV, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, Takeda, and Others.
Way Ahead
NCDs are posing an increasing threat to the health and economic security of MENA countries. These diseases will continue to burden healthcare systems, limiting economic growth and development by increasing healthcare costs and lowering working-age productivity. This downward spiral is reversible. Decisions made today can alter the course of the future if NCD risk behavior prevention becomes a priority. With a large and growing young population, the region’s countries now have a window of opportunity to reduce NCD risk factor levels among youth to ensure that they live healthy, productive lives and to reduce the growing health and economic burden of NCDs on individuals, families, and societies.
0
