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Non-Communicable Diseases
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, mental disorders, neurological disorders or cancer.
They are responsible for 80% of the disease burden in EU countries and all together are the leading causes of preventable premature deaths.
The human and financial costs are high and tend to increase due to the aging of the population. Additionally, people suffering from non-communicable diseases may be more affected by other diseases, as COVID-19 has shown.
They are responsible for 80% of the disease burden in EU countries and all together are the leading causes of preventable premature deaths.
The human and financial costs are high and tend to increase due to the aging of the population. Additionally, people suffering from non-communicable diseases may be more affected by other diseases, as COVID-19 has shown.
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The European Commission has launched in December 2021 the Healthier together – EU non-communicable diseases (NCD) initiative to support EU countries in identifying and implementing effective policies and actions to reduce the burden of major NCDs and improve citizens’ health and well-being. See on the side the Commission's guidance document.
The initiative covers the 2022-2027 period and includes 5 strands:
All strands include a health equity dimension, thus supporting the reduction of health inequalities. > Actions on cancer, which is also a major NCD, are covered in Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. |
Click to read the Guidance Document
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The Guidance Document
The Commission' Guidance Document published at the top in this page serves to guide policies and forms a basis for the implementation of actions in the coming years. This document is a kind of toolkit for coordinating action on NCDs and for identifying and creating windows of opportunities for high-impact actions to be implemented in all countries.These actions may include the adoption of policies at national or EU level and the transfer of good practices, the development and implementation of guidelines and recommendations, experimentation and introducing innovative approaches or initiating projects that are expected to have a significant impact. It is an 'open document', as the European Commission intends to update and complement it on a regular basis with further references, including, where available, on effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and successful national experiences. Additional expert group meetings can be organized to further support this process, i.e. fine-tune priorities and actions and track the progress of the initiative, including measuring its impact. On this page you will always find the updated Guidance Document. |
Click to read
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Other information on NCD
While the strands enable addressing particular challenges of each disease group, the initiative as such promotes a holistic and coordinated approach to prevention and care. It also supports better knowledge and data, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment management, and the improvement of quality of life for patients: While focusing on promotion and prevention, this action may also support better knowledge and data, screening and early detection, diagnosis and treatment management, and quality of life of patients. Support will in all cases focus on implementation, helping EU countries to transfer best practices, develop guidelines, roll out innovative approaches, etc. Stakeholders will be supported in actions that can contribute to the same objectives. It will be a major opportunity to generate more impact in fighting NCDs and specific objectives and actions will be developed collaboratively until mid-2022. |
Click to read
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In the coming months, priorities, actions and synergies with policy areas relevant to the reduction of NCDs burden will be discussed with EU countries in the Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases.
Discussion with stakeholders is taking place via the Health Policy Platform, where it is possible to join the Non-Communicable Diseases thematic network.
Discussion with stakeholders is taking place via the Health Policy Platform, where it is possible to join the Non-Communicable Diseases thematic network.
