• Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)—namely diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases—are the leading causes of death and disability globally and disproportionately affect those living in low- and middle-income countries. An alarming two-thirds of deaths worldwide are caused by NCDs, and almost 75 percent occur in lower-resourced settings.

    Often progressing slowly and requiring long-term care, these diseases exact an enormous toll on the people they affect and their families and communities. Those who suffer are more likely to develop complications and die earlier in life—often at the peak of their productive years—impacting the financial well-being of their households and posing a substantial burden on health systems and national economies.

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