[Ip-health] PRESS RELEASE: SciDev.Net draws attention to the chronic disease crisis

[SciDev.Net]

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23 July 2008
For immediate release

CHRONIC DISEASES: A NEGLECTED PRIORITY IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD

Chronic diseases are the biggest killers in the developing world. Yet they =
are still being overlooked by the global health community, which tends to f=
ocus on infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria.

To draw attention to this global crisis, SciDev.Net (The Science and Develo=
pment Network) publishes a set of articles providing vital information for =
policymakers, researchers and international donors about the need to priori=
tise the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases affecting millions in=
 developing countries.

READ SCIDEV.NET'S NEW SPOTLIGHT ON CHRONIC DISEASES: http://info.scidev.net=
/t/414127/8781465/8699/0/

This free online resource focuses on a selection of the most prevalent chro=
nic diseases in developing countries - such as cancer, diabetes, obesity an=
d heart disease - looking at whether the research agenda is keeping up, wha=
t measures scientists feel are necessary to tackle the problem, and highlig=
hting case studies from countries like Brazil, India and China. The spotlig=
ht was coordinated by Priya Shetty, SciDev.Net=92s Health consultant, and s=
ponsored by SDC (Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation), with SciDev=
.Net retaining full editorial control.

SPOTLIGHT CONTENT OVERVIEW

Raising the alarm on what is considered a neglected priority, Priya Shetty=
=92s opening editorial [ http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/8700/0/ ] =
explains how governments and donors must find ways to tackle the rise in no=
n-communicable disease.

EXPERT VIEWS:

* We must study the web of commercial interests and strategies driving obes=
ity in order to stem its spread, argues Jonathan Wells, a reader in childho=
od nutrition at the UCL Institute of Child Health, who has carried out stud=
ies of obesity in Brazil: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/8701/0/

* Twalib Ngoma, Executive Director of the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Da=
r es Salaam, Tanzania, argues that African countries must develop their own=
 solutions to deal with cancer patients: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/87=
81465/8702/0/

* Vikram Patel, a psychiatrist and senior lecturer at the London School of =
Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, suggests developing nations should stop copyin=
g the North's mental health services: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/87814=
65/8703/0/

* We need better global monitoring for chronic diseases before we can reall=
y tackle the risks factors and prevent illness, says Colin Mathers, senior =
scientist at the Department of Measurement and Health Information Systems o=
f the World Health Organization: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/87=
04/0/

An additional article on obesity in China will be published in the coming w=
eeks.

FEATURES:

* Vaccines for non-infectious illnesses could help developing nations tackl=
e the growing burden of chronic disease, reports Maryke Steffens, a science=
 and health journalist.: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/8705/0/

* In an interview with Priya Shetty, Abdallah S. Daar, Professor of Public =
Health Sciences at the University of Toronto, speaks to SciDev.Net about th=
e Grand Challenges in Chronic Non-communicable Diseases initiative: http://=
info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/8706/0/

* Truths and the myths about chronic diseases in the developing world are e=
xplored in a background feature: http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/87=
07/0/


*************************

ALL SCIDEV.NET MATERIAL IS FREE TO REPRODUCE PROVIDED THE ORGANISATION AND =
AUTHOR ARE CREDITED.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Anne-Caroline Duplat, Marketing Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7292 9916
Email: marketing@scidev.net

NOTES FOR EDITORS
SciDev.Net (The Science and Development Network) seeks to help individuals =
and organisations in the developing world make informed decisions on scienc=
e and technology issues impacting on social and economic development. It do=
es this by providing reliable and authoritative information through a free-=
access website containing news, views and analysis about science and techno=
logy in the developing world.

In addition, SciDev.Net builds regional networks of individuals and institu=
tions who share its commitment to improving science and technology communic=
ation, and organises workshops and other events in the developing world to =
build capacity in this field.

SciDev.Net is supported by the journals Nature and Science, as well as the =
Academy of Sciences for the Developing World.

To find out more visit: www.scidev.net
Sign up to SciDev.Net for automatic updates and a free weekly email with th=
e latest news, views and notices about science, technology and development.=
 Visit http://info.scidev.net/t/414127/8781465/6304/0/
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