Contacts: In Moscow: Marina Vassilieva,
tel: (7-495) 745-7000 ext. 2045
mvasilieva@worldbank.org
In Washington: Ivelina Taushanova,
tel: 202 47 39 277, EU cell + 399 889 59 00 99
itaushanova@worldbank.org
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe Contacts:
In Copenhagen: Liuba Negru,
tel: (+45) 3917 13 44
LNE@euro.who.int
In Copenhagen: Jill Farrington
tel: (+45) 39 17 15 38
jfa@euro.who.int
Moscow, Copenhagen, 30 October 2007 — On average, life is 11 years shorter for a citizen in a country in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)1 than for his or her counterpart in a European Union (EU) country (Fig. 1), mainly owing to noncommunicable diseases and injuries (NCDIs), such as heart disease, stroke, cancer and injuries from traffic accidents. For example, life expectancy at birth for men is 58 years in the Russian Federation: 20 years less than in Sweden and 13 years less than in Poland. This trend could hamper economic growth and pose challenges to society and citizens alike, unless effective measures are adopted. Fig. 1. Life expectancy at birth in countries in the EU and CIS, 1980–2005 
Dying prematurely or living with long-term illness or disability has economic implications for families and society. It places a burden of absenteeism, decreased productivity and employee turnover on employers and the economy, and a burden of high health care expenditure, reduced income, early retirement and increased reliance on social support systems on families and society. Treatment may not always be accessible or affordable, and the cost of care can push families further into poverty. NCDIs share common risk factors, underlying social and cultural determinants and opportunities for intervention. In some CIS countries, seven leading risk factors – high blood pressure, tobacco consumption, alcohol abuse, high blood cholesterol, overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity – account for more than 60% of the disease burden, measured in disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). NCDIs and their causes are unevenly distributed in the population, with higher rates among the poor and vulnerable. “Gaining better health for the people of the CIS countries is achievable, as it is possible to significantly reduce the burden of premature death, disease and disability through comprehensive action on underlying determinants and risk factors of noncommunicable diseases and injuries,” says Mr Patricio V. Marquez, Lead Health Specialist, Europe and Central Asia Region, World Bank. Indeed, evidence-based and cost-effective interventions exist for tackling NCDIs, with prevention having the most potential. Persuasive experience in other parts of the world indicates that results can be achieved in years, rather than decades. The burden of NCDIs can be reduced and harm to health and longevity prevented. A high-level international conference, to be held in Moscow, Russian Federation on 30–31 October 2007, will explore how to minimize NCDIs’ negative impact on the economic and social well-being of the CIS countries. The participants will include officials and experts from the 12 CIS countries, observers from Estonia, Mexico, Mongolia and Romania, and officials from international organizations such as the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the World Bank, bilateral agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development, and partner countries such as Canada and the United Kingdom.
Dr Nata Menabde, Deputy Regional Director, WHO Regional Office for Europe, says: “The main purpose of this conference is not to share alarming statistics on the heavy toll imposed by noncommunicable diseases and injuries in the CIS countries, but to covey the message that governments, business organization and civil society could together ease the impact of these conditions by implementing cost-effective prevention, early detection and treatment, and rehabilitation measures.” The conference is expected to result in a declaration and call to action that will form part of the implementation of the 2006 European Strategy for Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases and a 2005 resolution on preventing injuries in the WHO European Region, which were endorsed by all 53 Member States in the Region. Mr Julian Schweitzer, Director of the World Bank Health, Nutrition and Population Network, states: “The international agencies, including the World Bank, are ready to support the CIS countries in developing an effective response to the challenge posed by noncommunicable diseases and injuries by sharing knowledge on the existing best practices and by providing assistance on needed policies and reforms, and if required, funding to implement related programs and activities.” Much more information on NCDIs is available on the Internet. The World Bank web site offers: Resources on the web site of the WHO Regional Office for Europe include: 1 Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Uzbekistan
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