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Review
. 2017 Sep 17:11:17.
doi: 10.1186/s13031-017-0119-8. eCollection 2017.

Non-communicable diseases in humanitarian settings: ten essential questions

S Aebischer Perone  1   2 , E Martinez  1 , S du Mortier  1 , R Rossi  1 , M Pahud  1 , V Urbaniak  1 , F Chappuis  2 , O Hagon  2 , F Jacquérioz Bausch  2 , D Beran  3
Affiliations
Review

Non-communicable diseases in humanitarian settings: ten essential questions

S Aebischer Perone et al. Confl Health. .

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) represent the primary cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Specific attention needs to be given in fragile and crisis-affected contexts, where health systems have even more difficulties in addressing and managing these diseases. Humanitarian actors intervening in crisis situations increasingly include NCD management in the services they support and provide. This review aims at presenting a series of questions that humanitarian agencies could consider when addressing NCDs in humanitarian crises. They include, among others, what conditions to address and for which target population, how to ensure continuity of care, which guidelines and medications to use, and what can be done beyond classical management of NCDs.Research and evidence are lacking on how to address care effectively for NCDs in emergencies. Therefore, advocacy is needed for NCD-oriented research so as to make interventions more effective and sustainable. No government or single agency can address NCDs in humanitarian crises alone. Strong leadership and partnerships between humanitarian actors, health providers, government bodies, research and academic institutions are required. Only a coordinated multi-disciplinary and multi-stakeholder approach will achieve the required impact for affected populations.

Keywords: Chronic diseases; Conflicts; Continuum of care; Crises; Ethics; Humanitarian agencies; Humanitarian emergencies; Non-communicable diseases.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

All authors are staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and/or of Division of Tropical and Humanitarian Medicine of the Geneva University hospitals (HUG) and paid by the ICRC and/or HUG for their involvement humanitarian projects.

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Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1
The 15 biggest operations of the ICRC in 2015 and global prevalence of diabetes. Prevalence of diabetes / raised blood glucose (%) for the population aged 18+; Prevalence of diabetes: WHO: 2014 15 biggest ICRC operations in 2015
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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