The
report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said people are living longer mainly
because of improvements in nutrition and hygiene, and advances in vaccines and
medical treatments against infectious and parasitic diseases that are
"communicable."
With
the decline in mortality more pronounced at younger ages, deaths have become
increasingly concentrated at older ages when people are more likely to develop
"non-communicable" chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer,
diabetes, heart and respiratory problems, the report said.Globally, it said,
the proportion of deaths at age 60 or over has risen from 26 percent in 1950-55
to 54 percent in 2005-2010.According to the report, the shift from communicable
to non-communicable diseases as the main cause of deaths has occurred in all
regions of the world except sub-Saharan Africa, where the HIV/AIDS epidemic is
widespread and infectious and parasitic diseases still claim many lives.If
mortality continues to decline worldwide, the report said, the burden from
non-communicable diseases will become even greater.
Because
most of these diseases are chronic and require long-term treatment and
management, it recommends that efforts be concentrated in delaying the onset of
illness.The report said governments can do this by taking measures to reduce
the risk factors associated with chronic diseases such as overweight, physical
inactivity, tobacco use and alcohol abuse.It also calls for governments to
address the global shortage of health workers, especially in developing
countries.The report will be discussed at a meeting of the U.N. Commission on
Population and Development from April 12-16 at U.N. headquarters.
Catatan
: kata yang mengandung conditional sentences (if clause) ditandai dengan huruf
tebal.
