Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the most important causes for millions of deaths across the world. This type of disease is actually a cluster of disorders that impact the heart and the blood vessels. The incidence of CVD is more prominent in low- and middle-income countries.
Cardiovascular Disease (CVD): What Do the Statistics Say?
Take a look at some global statistics on cardiovascular healthcare in low- and middle-income countries across the globe.
Cardiovascular Death Toll & Distribution
In 2021, more than 43 million people across the world died due to non-communicable diseases (NCD). These accounted for around 75% of all the deaths that occurred because of non-pandemic-related reasons. According to WHO, about 18 million of these happened among individuals less than 70 years of age. A staggering 82% of these premature fatalities occurred in nations with low and middle income.
The main cause was cardiovascular disease, which led to over 19 million dying in 2021, followed by cancers, which led to the demise of 10 million people. Chronic respiratory diseases caused the death of 4 million people while diabetes ended the lives of 1.6 million individuals the world over.
Strokes, heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases accounted for around 17.9 million deaths in 2019, which accounted for around 32% of all global fatalities. Over 75% of CVD deaths happened in nations with low and middle income, which indicated a disproportionate burden.
Economic Intervention for CVD
As per a UN News report, globally, noncommunicable diseases are now the leading cause of death. It leads to the loss of around 41 million lives every year. 86% of those under-70 NCD deaths occur in countries with low and middle income. Investing USD 18 billion every year in proven NCD prevention and treatment strategies across these nations could yield a net economic benefit of USD 2.7 trillion by 2030.
According to an estimate of the WHO, investing USD 1 per person per year in preventing and treating NCDs in low and lower-middle-income countries could prevent around 7 million deaths by 2030. Scaling up affordable “Best Buy” interventions, such as reducing tobacco use, improving diets, and managing hypertension, can also ensure major economic and health benefits.
How to Improve Cardiovascular Healthcare in Low and Middle-Income Countries?
As can easily be understood, cardiovascular diseases are one of the biggest causes of deaths across the world. The burden is particularly severe in low- and middle-income nations due to factors like aging populations, rapid urbanization and risks related to lifestyle – such as hypertension, poor diet, smoking and diabetes.
The problems are further worsened due to lack of enough preventive service access, poverty and weak healthcare systems. Due to this reason, there is an urgent requirement for comprehensive cardiovascular healthcare solutions.
Challenges faced in such nations
Lack of resources in the health care systems in such countries is a big problem. Insufficiency in the number of specialized facilities, lack of skilled medical professionals and dearth of advanced medical equipment have a negative effect on the timely diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
There is also the problem of uneven access to quality medical care. In rural areas, there is often a lack of enough facilities. In urban areas, medical centers are flocked by too many people seeking treatment. Lack of enough money also compounds the problem, with many people being unable to seek necessary care due to the need for out-of-pocket expenses.
An urban lifestyle has also led to changes in habits, with higher intake of processed foods, sedentary behavior and increase in tobacco use contributing to the rise of CVD incidence.
As of now, preventive efforts are not quite strong, due to lack of enough health education misinformation and low awareness. Many individuals are unable to spot the early signs of cardiovascular diseases or end up delaying treatment due to lack of money or other factors. This makes the disease worsen.
How to improve cardiovascular healthcare?
It is essential to use a multi-faceted approach to address CVD in low- and middle-income nations. This can be done in the following ways:
- Healthcare infrastructure investment: Improving emergency response systems, expanding primary care, and developing specialized cardiac units.
- Training medical professionals: Equipping healthcare workers with updated skills for better diagnosis and management.
- Awareness and education: Public health campaigns and community programs encouraging healthy eating, regular exercise, and reduced tobacco use.
- Policy initiatives: Government efforts to prioritize CVD in national health agendas, allocating resources effectively, and integrating prevention, treatment, and education.
- Collaboration: Partnerships with international organizations, NGOs, and private sectors can provide resources, support, and innovation.
- Technology adoption: Mobile health tools and telemedicine can bridge gaps in access, especially in remote areas.
With a mix of all these strategies and measures, risk factors can be reduced significantly and treatment outcomes can also be improved.
How Cardiac Health Insurance Can Be Useful?
It is important to improve health insurance coverage for cardiac disease in low- and middle-income countries. In these nations, people are often unable to access proper health care due to the high out-of-pocket expenses that they have to bear for the purpose of diagnosis and treatment.
With the help of cardiac health insurance, it is possible for them to reduce unexpected expenses. Patients or their family members can also get timely access to necessary services and support long-term chronic heart condition management efforts.
Cardiac health insurance can also reduce inequality in such countries. People can access healthcare for their disease irrespective of their financial status. With the constant rise of cardiovascular disorders, cost-effective insurance schemes can be very important for preventing and treating such types of health conditions. These can also help to ensure that families in these nations do not feel economically burdened while trying to prevent or treat such disorders.
Final Thoughts
Cardiovascular diseases are one of the top causes of deaths across the world, especially in countries with low and medium income. It is necessary to raise awareness and ensure targeted, affordable interventions. These can help to save millions of lives and ensure excellent economic benefits for such nations, as well as for the world in general.
