Emerging non-communicable disease epidemic in Africa: preventive measures from the WHO Regional Office for Africa

Abstract

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) commissioned a study to compile and analyze published reports on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa to build evidence on the burden of NCDs in the region. Anecdotally, little information or literature was available on this subject. The objective of the study was to establish the status of NCDs in Africa by using published sources of information. A literature search was done through MEDLINE/PubMed and Google to identify studies that reported on prevalence rates of NCD risk factors. The study confirmed that information on NCDs in Africa was lacking. The prevalence of hypertension was found to be rapidly increasing, from 3% in rural areas to > 30% in some urban settings. In some populations, hypertension prevalence rates were higher in women than in men while the opposite was true in others. Most people with hypertension were not aware of their condition, and of those who were on treatment, < 20% had optimal control. The prevalence of diabetes mirrored that of hypertension, from < 1% in some rural areas to > 20% in some selected populations and racial groupings in urban settings. The predominant type was type 2 diabetes, which accounted for > 80% of all cases in some reports and tended to present later in life. The prevalence of tobacco smoking also varied across the continent, from < 1% in rural women to 50% in some urban men. Recent studies based on analysis of hospital-based information have documented NCD trends that were similar to prevalence data generated from national risk factor surveys. NCD risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes are increasing in Africa.