Interactive session on NCDs at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
Interactive session on NCDs at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting
Friday's session will discuss how to reverse the non-communicable disease crisis
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is being held in Davos, Switzerland this week and a session on Friday, 27 January will focus on non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs, comprised primarily of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease, were responsible for 36 million deaths in 2008 and are the leading cause of death in the world. More than being costly in terms of human life, NCDs pose a major threat to the global economy due to direct medical costs as well as lost productivity that results when an individual is sick with or dies prematurely from an NCD.
A report released by the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Harvard School for Public Health estimates that cardiovascular disease alone could cost the global economy $20 trillion US dollars over the next 20 years. This massive economic burden is being addressed in an interactive session on Friday entitled "The Globalization of Non-Communicable Diseases." In addition to discussing the cost of NCDs, the session will look at how to engage the private sector and present a coordinated private-public response to the global NCD crisis.
update: Access WEF summaries of relevant sessions during the Annual Meeting
The Globalization of Non-communicable diseases
Future Demographics, Future Cities
Smarter Cities for an Urban Century
Rio+20: Advancing Sustainable Development
For more information
Find out more about the WEF Annual Meeting >
See the complete programme of the WEF Annual Meeting >
See the WEF and Harvard report on the economic burden of NCDs >
Raise awareness
Unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and tobacco use are all linked to cardiovascular disease, the number one cause of death globally and a threat to the global economy. Protect your heart and share your success #NCDstories on Twitter
