Cancer, cardiovascular and other type 1 diseases will cause over three quarters of all deaths by 2030

The global burden of disease is shifting from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases, according to a recent report from the World Health Organization. As populations age in middle- and low-income countries over the next 25 years, the proportion of deaths due to non-communicable diseases will rise significantly. This trend will be accompanied by large declines in mortality from the main infectious diseases, including HIV, diarrhea, tuberculosis and malaria.

Global mortality: a select comparison of leading causes of death (2004-2030)

“In more and more countries the chief causes of death are non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease and stroke,” according to Dr Ties Boerma, Director of the WHO Department of Health Statistics and Informatics.

The decline in mortality due to infectious diseases is in large part due to research into these diseases, the development of new treatments by innovative pharmaceutical companies, improved disease prevention strategies (ie. mosquito nets), and a greater global commitment to improve health outcomes in developing countries.

Globally, deaths from cancer will increase from 7.4 million in 2004 to 11.8 million in 2030, and deaths from cardiovascular diseases will rise from 17.1 million to 23.4 million in the same period. Although deaths due to HIV/AIDS are projected to fall by 2030, it will remain the tenth leading cause of death worldwide. Deaths due to other communicable diseases are projected to decline at a faster rate.