Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide yet CVD prevention efforts remain starkly underfunded. A new landmark report in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology quantifies for the first time the surprising mismatch between high CVD burden and low CVD funds from high income country governments and international development agencies such as World Bank, UNICEF, and World Health Organization.
Despite accounting for roughly 31% of total mortality and 15% of total disease burden in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), just 0.1% of global health funding (or one in 1000 dollars) is dedicated to controlling CVD.
There are solutions that will help turn the tide and save lives: Along with renewed foreign aid from high-income countries, LMICs can self-finance CVD control using “sin taxes” on unhealthy products like tobacco and sugar-sweetened beverages, “green taxes” on polluting industries, and debt for development swaps. Prevention will be key. For example, it has been estimated that countries could experience upwards of $18 return-on-investment for every $1 invested in programs that help prevent and control high blood pressure.
The full report can be found here.
Learn more about how Resolve to Save Lives is helping get high blood pressure—the world’s deadliest risk factor for CVD—under control.
