Strategy on Non-communicable Diseases Approved

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev approved on December 23 a Strategy to Combat Non-communicable Diseases in Azerbaijan in 2015-2020. Its main task is defined as reduction of premature deaths.

The document provides for tougher anti-smoking and anti-alcoholism with economic and other methods. The level of use of tobacco products until 2020 is planned to be reduced by 10%. According to the research, 50% of men smoke.

The government has set a target to reduce the level of use of salt to 5 g per day, as salt also leads to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs). If they manage to implement all the measures to prevent and control NCDs, then, they could weaken the growth rates of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. One of the steps in this direction will be to increase physical activity among the adult population by 10%.

In Azerbaijan over the past 10 years blood circulatory diseases increased by 5%, diseases of the respiratory system – by 11%, diseases of the endocrine system - 2.5 times, including diabetes - 3.7 times, diseases of the nervous system – by 15%, and cancer – by 30% .

At the same time 50% of deaths accounted for these diseases in the groups of risk: excessive consumers of tobacco and alcoholic beverages, as well as persons suffering from obesity and eating junk food. ---08B