Industrial Progress Hampers Battling Illnesses According to WHO
In 2021, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart attacks, strokes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, and mental illnesses claimed the lives of at least 43 million people worldwide. These silent killers, as WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described them, accounted for 75% of non-pandemic deaths.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the means to save lives and alleviate suffering from these diseases. They have recommended several measures, including taxes on tobacco products, alcohol, and ultra-processed foods, marketing restrictions, better cervical cancer prevention, and hypertension treatment.
According to the WHO, these industries contribute to many diseases. The tobacco, alcohol, and ultra-processed food industries, in particular, have been identified as exerting pressure on governments to prevent or delay effective measures like taxes or advertising restrictions aimed at their sectors. These industries have sought to hinder such measures, according to the WHO.
Despite these challenges, the WHO remains optimistic. They estimate that corresponding investments worldwide could reach up to one trillion dollars by 2030, resulting in the prevention of 28 million heart attacks and strokes and the potential saving of 12 million lives. This estimate is equivalent to 840 billion euros.
The WHO's efforts are not just about numbers, however. They are about saving lives, alleviating suffering, and improving the quality of life for millions of people worldwide. The organization continues to advocate for effective policies and measures to combat NCDs and mental illnesses, and they urge governments and industries to work together towards this common goal.
Read also:
- Trump's SNAP reductions and New York City Council's grocery delivery legislation: Problems for city residents highlighted
- Reducing dental expenses for elderlies in Sweden: Over 50% cut in charges for pensioners by the government
- Forty-year-old diet: A list of meal choices to savor
- Exiled Life's Conundrum: A Blend of Liberation, Disillusionment, and Distress
