The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are among Africa’s most pressing development challenges, with deaths rising steadily and health systems across the continent under increasing strain.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Prof. Mohamed Janabi, gave the warning in Abuja during the 10th anniversary of the West African Institute of Public Health (WAIPH) and its 2025 conference.
The conference theme, “Digital Innovation and Shared Leadership for Africa’s NCDs Response,” focused on innovative solutions to tackle the growing NCD burden across African nations and strengthen regional health systems for sustainable outcomes.
Janabi, in his keynote address titled “The Silent Epidemic: How NCDs are Threatening Africa’s Development,” said NCDs were advancing rapidly, projected to overtake communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutrition-related diseases by 2030.
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“This is a silent epidemic affecting individuals, families, economies, and health systems across Africa, yet the story of NCDs often remains hidden in clinic records, household finances, and preventable premature deaths,” he explained.
He said that NCDs accounted for 35.4 per cent of all deaths in Africa in 2021, up from 21 per cent in 2000, with cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, respiratory diseases, and mental conditions.
Janabi highlighted the economic impact of NCDs in Africa, stating productivity losses now exceeded one trillion dollars annually, significantly burdening governments, households, and the private sector, reducing sustainable development progress across the continent.
“Every one dollar invested in NCD prevention yields seven dollars in benefits through reduced medical costs and increased productivity, yet productivity loss from NCDs is 38 times higher than current spending,” he said.
Janabi said health expenditure on NCDs in Africa remained below 30 billion dollars annually, less than half from domestic sources, leaving countries vulnerable to fluctuating external funding and limiting long-term programme sustainability.
Janabi called for stronger primary healthcare, domestic financing, surveillance systems, access to essential medicines, and integrated, people-centred care to reduce mortality and improve NCD outcomes across African populations.
He noted Africa had made progress in policies and frameworks, adding cervical cancer elimination efforts were advancing, as 32 countries had introduced HPV vaccination to prevent related morbidity and mortality.
NAN