Non-Communicable Diseases Report: Policies and Challenges

This report examines non-communicable diseases (NCDs), focusing on their increasing prevalence globally and specifically within Saudi Arabia. It highlights the shift from infectious diseases to NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and certain types of cancer as leading causes of death and disability. The report discusses the Saudi Arabian government's dietary policies aimed at mitigating the impact of NCDs, such as promoting the consumption of protective foods and reducing sodium intake. Furthermore, it analyzes the financial and social barriers hindering the effective implementation of these policies, including insufficient financial support for research and a lack of public awareness. The report concludes by emphasizing the need for increased funding and social sector initiatives to address these challenges and promote public health.

Running Head: NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES
Non-Communicable Diseases
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NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 2
Most countries of the world are experiencing dramatic and drastic changes in the health
requirements of their respective populations. Even though numerous countries currently are
faced with a double burden of non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases, the former,
including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and cancer, are rapidly replacing the conventional
enemies of malnutrition and infectious disease as the leading causes of premature deaths and
disability. This trend is projected to continue and, thus, by the year 2021, NCD are predicted to
account for over eight out every eleven deaths in most countries. A non-communicable disease is
described as a disease or medical condition that by definition is noninfectious as well as non-
transmissible among the general public. Non-communicable diseases (NCD) are also known as
diseases or medical condition of the riches and occur in long period having generally slow
progression. There are four major types of NCDs; cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and
heart attacks, chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructed pulmonary diseases
and diabetes (AlQuaiz, et al 2014). in Saudi Arabia the government has come up with certain
dietary policies to cub the prevalence of NCDs among the people.
Dietary policies in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
One of the dietary, polices in Saudi Arabia to reduce NCDs is the high intake of
protective foods like whole grains and fruits.it has been established that low intake of protective
foods is the leading dietary risk for NCDs like diabetes mortality and cardio-metabolic disease,
accounting to 11% and 12% of deaths respectively. Another police that has been put in place is
the reduction of sodium chloride in foods so as to reduce its uptake by the public (Alzeidan, et al
2016).

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 3
How financial and social sectors are creating barriers to NCDs policies and the solutions
Financial sectors in Saudi Arabia have not provided adequate financial support to the
relevant research institutions that are tasked with coming up with sustainable solutions to NCDs.
Social sectors have not entrenched the culture of promoting awareness especially in work places
to enlighten the public on the dangers of poor diet. Financial institutions should provide and
support private sector in conducting research on NCDs while social sectors should increase and
promote awareness creation on NCDs.

NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES 4
References
AlQuaiz, A., M., Siddiqui, A., R., Qureshi, R., H., Fouda, M., AlMuneef, M., Habib, F., A., and
Turkistani, I., M. (2014). Women Health in Saudi Arabia: A review of non-communicable
diseases and their risk factors. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3999023/
Alzeidan, R. Rabiee, F, Mandil, A, Hersi, A and Fayed, A. (2016). Non-Communicable Disease
Risk Factors among Employees and Their Families of a Saudi University: An
Epidemiological Study. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?
id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165036