IntroductionNoncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are currently the leading global cause ofdeath worldwide. Of the 57 million deaths that occurred globally in 2008, 36 milliondeaths – almost two thirds- were due to NCDs, comprising mainly cardiovasculardiseases, cancers, diabetes and chronic lung diseases (1). The combined burden of thesediseases is rising fastest among lower income countries. About one fourth of globalNCD-related deaths take place before the age of 60 (2).A large proportion of NCDs are preventable. These NCDs share modifiablebehavioural risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity, and theharmful use of alcohol, which, in turn, lead to overweight and obesity, raised bloodpressure, and raised cholesterol. The cost of doing nothing over the next three decadesamounts to trillions of dollars of lost resources (3). Feasible and cost-effectiveinterventions exist to reduce the burden and impact of NCDs and sustained action toprevent risk factors and improve health care can avert millions of preventable prematuredeaths (4).The global strategy for the prevention and control of NCDs (5) has three keycomponents: surveillance, prevention, and health care. Surveillance aims to monitorNCDs and to analyse their social, economic, behavioural and political determinants inorder to provide guidance for policy, legislative and financial measures.
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