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87.5 percent of the deaths in Turkey caused by non-communicable diseases
UNDP, WHO, the Ministry of Health and the UN Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Prevention and Control of Joint Task Force prepared an Investment Justification Report about Non-Communicable (chronic) Disease Prevention and Control in Turkey.
In the report it was mentioned that tobacco, alcohol use, physical inactivity and unhealthy nutrition along with cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and non-communicable diseases such as chronic airway diseases are health and development problem in terms of public health not only in Turkey but also in the entire world.
87.5 percent of the deaths in Turkey caused by non-communicable diseases highlighted in the report and, it was stated that, in 2015, the rate of premature death which was defined as 70 years before, due to one of the four main non-communicable diseases is 16.8 percent.
While drawing a conclusion that more investment is needed to combat against non-communicable diseases in order for Turkey’s improvement in health and economy, the justification of investment is determined as revealing the economic burden of chronic disease and identifying key economic benefits by establishing an effective response policy set up until 2032.
In the report, with the intent of, reducing the use of alcohol, tobacco and edible salt; boosting physical activities; preventing non-communicable diseases which involves clinical intervention for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, the five years and fifteen years’ term investment analyses of control packages were also took place. Within the analyses in Turkey, with regards to cost, it was determined that the most effective interventions were in the salt zone. While stressing out that the economic benefits of these packages are way far more than their costs within both the short and the long term it is aimed that, firstly, reducing diseases and providing total 12,788,000,000.00 Turkish Liras benefit with the investments in five years time.