Six of the world's foremost health agencies, collectively managing an estimated 80% of all public health research funding, on june 15, 2009 announced the formation of a landmark alliance to collaborate in the critical battle against chronic non-communicable diseases: cardiovascular diseases (mainly heart disease and stroke), several cancers, chronic respiratory conditions, and type 2 diabetes. The health impact and socio-economic cost of these largely-preventable diseases is enormous and rising, potentially derailing efforts at poverty reduction.
The Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (Alliance) is being created to support clear priorities for a coordinated research effort that will address this growing health crisis, now reaching world epidemic proportions. Experts estimate that, unless action is stepped up, 388 million people worldwide will die of one or more such diseases within the next decade.
Work of the Alliance will focus in particular on the needs of low and middle income countries, and on those of low income populations of more developed countries.
