Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) appointed Mr Michael R. Bloomberg, philanthropist and former three-term Mayor of the City of New York, as Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries. In his new role, Mr Bloomberg will work with national and local political leaders around the globe to highlight the burden of NCDs and Injuries. He will help mobilize national and city level political leaders, donors and the private sector to prevent and treat the NCD epidemic and combat injuries.
NCDs (including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases) and injuries are responsible for 43 million deaths each year - almost 80% of all deaths worldwide. Each year, 16 million people die from NCDs before the age of 70. Road traffic crashes account for a further 1.25 million deaths each year and are the leading cause of death among young people, aged 15-29 years. The premature death and disability from NCDs and injury can largely be prevented, through implementing proven, cost effective measures.
Mr. Bloomberg's role and activities will extend the reach of WHO's work to reduce exposure to the main NCD risk factors: tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol, as well as to promote proven measures to reduce injuries from road traffic crashes, burns, falls and drowning. This includes efforts to strengthen health systems' response to manage NCDs and injuries, and to improve availability of health data to inform policy and programmes.
Effective strategies to prevent NCDs include increasing the tax and price of tobacco and alcohol, enforcing smoke-free environments, implementing large graphic tobacco health warnings, enforcing bans in tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorships, promoting the availability of healthy, affordable diets, and discouraging the consumption of foods and beverages high in sugars, salt and fat. Proven actions to prevent the most common forms of injuries include enforcing speed limits, drink-driving legislation and the wearing of seat-belts and helmets, enforcing laws on smoke alarms and hot water tap temperatures, removing or covering water hazards and fencing pools to prevent drowning, eliminating fall hazards and improving balance among the elderly. These are all strategies where both national and local government officials can play a role.
For more information:
Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020
Violence and injury prevention