The health impact and socio-economic cost of these largely preventable diseases is enormous. Unless action is strengthened, experts estimate that up to 388 million people will die of one or more non-communicable diseases within the next decade (these include cardiovascular diseases, several cancers, chronic respiratory conditions and type 2 diabetes).
The work of the Alliance will have a particular focus on the needs of low and middle income countries and low income populations in more developed countries.
The founding members of the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases include :
Australia National Health and Medical Research Council
Canadian Institutes of Health Research
Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences
The Medical Research Council
The National Institutes of Health, specifically its National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), and the Fogarty Institute.
The World Health Organization is to join the Alliance as an observer to facilitate support for the implementation of the World Health Assembly-approved "Action Plan for the Global Strategy for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases."
The following research priorities for the Alliance have been proposed by some of the founding members. They will be discussed at their inaugural scientific meeting in November 2009 :
Test ways to prevent cardiovascular diseases and complications of diabetes
Identify and promote public health measures for controlling obesity
Characterise and quantify the major risk factors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (both tobacco and environmental pollution) and the development of control measures
Advance research into the problem of tobacco consumption and its relationship to cancer, cardiovascular disease and disorders
Develop interventions to address the above priorities.
For more information
