By Seynabou Sall and Sebastien Satigui
Paris / Nairobi — Researchers, scientists, physicians and stakeholders gathered in Paris February 2 and 3 for the International Conference on Harm Reduction in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
Harm reduction focuses on how to diminish the impact on health of behaviors such as drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or the lack of physical activity. Non-communicable diseases (NCD) – those not transmissible directly from one person to another – include most cancers, cardiovascular illnesses and diabetes. NCDs result from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), NCDs – which affects every country – claims 41 million people each year worldwide, 71% of all deaths globally. Cardiovascular diseases account for 17.9 million deaths, according to WHO, cancers 9 million), respiratory diseases 3.9million and diabetes 1.6 million.
Tobacco alone causes 7.2 million deaths every year – but from smoking and from exposure to second-hand smoke, and this number is projected to rise markedly.
Conference participants discussed how NCDs can be prevented. All main risk factors are known and most of them are avoidable. Read more…
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