title: Cardiovascular diseases and diabetes as economic and developmental challenges in Africa.
abstract: Current estimates and projections suggest that the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes and related risk factors in African countries is important, somewhat unique and rapidly growing. Various segments of the population are affected; however, the group mostly affected is young adults residing in urban areas, and increasingly those in the low socioeconomic strata. The African milieu/environment is compounded by weak health systems, which are unable to cope with the looming double burden of communicable and chronic non-communicable diseases. This review discusses the economic and developmental challenges posed by CVDs and diabetes in countries in Africa. Using several lines of evidence, we demonstrate that the cost of care for major CVDs and diabetes is beyond the coping capacities of individuals, households, families and governments in most African countries. We have reviewed modeling studies by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and other major international agencies on the current and projected impact that CVDs and diabetes have on the economy and development of countries in the region. Locally, appropriate strategies to limit the impact of the conditions on the economies and development of countries in Africa are suggested and discussed. These include monitoring diseases and risk factors, and primordial, primary and secondary preventions implemented following a life-course perspective. Structural, logistic, human capacity and organizational challenges to be surmounted during the implementations of these strategies will be reviewed.
authors.affiliation: South African Medical Research Council & University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa; The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia; Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands. Electronic address: andre.kengne@mrc.ac.za.
authors.forename: Andre Pascal
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Kengne
authors.forename: Zandile
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: June-Rose McHiza
authors.forename: Albert George Baidoe
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Amoah
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mbanya
mesh_terms: D000349:Africa / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003906:Developing Countries; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D011203:Poverty / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
keywords: Africa; CMH; CSDH; CVD; Cardiovascular disease; Commission on Macroeconomics and Health; Commission on Social Determinants of Health; Cost; DAH; DALY; Development; Development Assistance for Health; Diabetes mellitus; EU; Economy; European Union; GDP; GNI; HIV/AIDS; IDF; IDMPS; ILO; International Diabetes Federation; International Diabetes Management Practices Study; International Labour Organization; NCD; NEPAD; New Partnership for Africa's Development; Poverty; SSA; UNDP; USA; United Nations Development Programme; United States of America; WHO; World Health Organisation; cardiovascular disease; disability-adjusted life years; gross domestic product; gross national income; human acquired immunodeficiency/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; non-communicable disease; sub-Saharan Africa