Rohit Shishodia
Heart diseases remained the deadliest among all non-communicable diseases between 2000 and 2019, reveal the World Health Organization’s 2019 Global Health Estimates, published on December 9, 2020.

The estimates disclosed that the number of deaths from heart disease increased by more than 2 million since 2000, to nearly 9 million in 2019.

As per the estimates, heart disease now accounts for 16% of total deaths from all causes. More than 50% of the 2 million additional deaths were in the WHO Western Pacific region. The European region has seen a relative decline in heart disease, with deaths falling by 15%.

The estimates have pointed out that Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are now among the top 10 causes of death worldwide, ranking 3rd in both the Americas and Europe in 2019.

As per the estimates, Women are disproportionately affected. Globally, 65% of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia are among women.

Fatalities from diabetes increased by 70% globally between 2000 and 2019, with an 80% rise in deaths among males. In the Eastern Mediterranean, deaths from diabetes have more than doubled and represent the greatest percentage increase among all WHO regions.

There is global decline in fatalities from communicable diseases, but they are still a major challenge in low- and middle-income countries

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, said, “The estimates highlight the urgency of drastically improving primary health care equitably and holistically. Strong primary health care is clearly the foundation on which everything rests, from combatting noncommunicable diseases to managing a global pandemic.”

According to the estimates, in 2019, pneumonia and other lower respiratory infections were the deadliest group of communicable diseases and together ranked as the fourth leading cause of death. However, compared to 2000, lower respiratory infections were claiming fewer lives than in the past, with the global number of deaths decreasing by nearly half a million.

TB is also no longer in the global top 10, falling from 7th place in 2000 to thirteenth in 2019, with a 30% reduction in global deaths. Yet, it remains among the top 10 causes of deaths in the African and South-East Asian regions, where it is the 8th and 5th leading cause respectively.

The estimates further confirm the growing trend for longevity: in 2019, people were living more than 6 years longer than in 2000, with a global average of more than 73 years in 2019 compared to nearly 67 in 2000. But on average, only 5 of those additional years were lived in good health.

Dr Samira Asma, Assistant Director-General for the Division of Data, Analytics and Delivery for Impact at WHO, said “The WHO Global Health Estimates are a powerful tool to maximize health and economic impact. We call upon governments and stakeholders to urgently invest in data and health information systems to support timely and effective decision-making.”