Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, mental disorders, neurological disorders, or cancer are responsible for 80% of the disease burden in the EU countries and the leading causes of avoidable premature deaths.
The human and financial costs of NCDs are high and expected to grow, also considering the EU’s ageing population. Moreover, people suffering from NCDs can be more affected by other diseases, as COVID-19 has shown.
Reducing the burden of NCDs requires a holistic approach and tackling health inequalities across the board. Most importantly, health promotion and disease prevention can reduce it as much as by 70%.
Objectives
The European Commission is committed to supporting EU countries in their efforts to reach the nine voluntary targets of the United Nations and the World Health Organization by 2025, as well as the Sustainable Development Goal 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one third, and promote mental health and well-being by 2030.
Steering Group on Promotion and Prevention
The Steering Group on Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Management of Non-Communicable Diseases advises the Commission, promoting coordination to address public health, prevention and NCDs challenges. It helps Member States to implement validated best practices and promising approaches at wider scale.