Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes are a major public health challenge for developing countries. If left unaddressed, NCDs could cost developing countries $7 trillion over the next 15 years, yet implementing prevention programs would only cost $11 billion annually. This document argues that concerted multi-sector financing solutions are needed to address the root causes of the NCD epidemic. Donor countries, governments, the international community, private businesses, and others must work together to support local agriculture and food systems, increase taxes on unhealthy foods, fund education programs, and make healthy options more available and affordable. A holistic approach is needed to curb NCD risks like unhealthy

1. Non-communicable
Disease Epidemic
in Developing
Countries –
Financial solutions

2. What Are NCDs?
 Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – cardiovascular
disease, cancers, chronic respiratory disease and
diabetes
 Largely preventable by effective interventions that tackle
shared risk factors: unhealthy diet, physical inactivity,
tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol
 Have significant negative impacts on development:
Premature deaths reduce productivity, limit economic
growth and trap families in poverty

3. Costs of NCDs
 Each year, 16 million people die prematurely before the
age of 70 from NCDs
 4 out of 5 of these deaths occur in developing
countries, making such diseases one of the major
development challenges of the 21st century
 If countries don't change tack on NCDs, an estimated
$7 trillion could be lost in developing countries over the
next 15 years
 This contrasts starkly with the cost of action: $11 billion
a year to implement a set of NCD interventions in all
developing countries
Source: WHO, 2015

4. The Goal of This Project
 To demonstrate that the development community
can prevent and control the NCD epidemic
through concerted action in financing of
agriculture and food sectors
 To address sustainability and country ownership in
health and nutrition
 To offer a solution and “food for thought” to control
and prevent NCDs in developing countries

5. The Curse of Cheap, Processed
Food
 In developing countries,
big part of the available
food is processed,
unhealthy, and lacks
micronutrients
 Traditional diets are
abandoned and replaced
with fast food
 People suffer from
undernutrition and obesity

6. Example from a Small Island
Developing State, April 2015
 Historically, the biggest industry was farming, but this was
discouraged after tourism was considered to be more
beneficial to the country’s economy
 Supermarkets do not have locally grown products, even if the
climate would allow growing a variety of fruit and vegetables
 Mostly processed food available such as canned “meals”,
chips, crackers, and sweet pastries
 90 % of the fresh food are imported, extremely expensive and
of poor quality
 75% women and 40% of men are overweight or obese.
Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases result in disability, loss
of healthy years and premature deaths

7. The Complexity of “Why”
 Globalization and “westernization” of habits
 Expansion of fast food chains in developing countries
 Lack of awareness and health education
 Governments bundling with companies
 Donor countries' trade policies that benefit their export
 “Big is beautiful” – thinking

8. Multi-sectoral Financing Solutions
Are Needed
The following slides introduce financial solutions

9. Donor Countries to:
 Keep ODA commitments and direct it to support the
development of local responsibility over the problem
 Promote the export of healthy products and restrict the
import of unhealthy products
 Channel funds in projects that raise awareness of NCDs and
their risk factors
 Refrain from exporting leftover harvest to developing
countries in the form of ODA, since it decreases the demand
of local products and work force
 Transfer technology assistance that supports local
production and is proved to work in local conditions

10. Governments to:
 Direct domestic public resources to combat NCDs
 Lower taxes of fresh and unprocessed products
 Rise taxes of products with high sugar and salt –
also a revenue to fund growing health care costs
 Establish incentives to local production and
farming
 Develop a multisectoral financial action plan to
tackle NCDs
 Ban harmful advertising

11. International Community to:
 Support initiatives in line with the SDG 3,
especially 3.4 (NCDs) of the 2030
Development Agenda
 Provide guidance on innovative financing to
tackle NCDs and maximize countries potential
 Scale up international tax cooperation

12. Private Businesses to:
 Increase the availability of healthy options in
developing countries, in line with WHO
recommendations
 Eliminate trans-fats in products
 Engage with governments and other actors
towards public health goals
 Commit to transparent and stable rules and
standards and free and fair competition,
conducive to achieving national policies

13. Health is the precondition of the
achievement of every single
Sustainable Development Goal

14. Thank You!