Climate change, unplanned urbanization and air pollution can fail us in beating NCDs

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service) 

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), mostly cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, and lung diseases, account for over two-thirds of world's deaths each year. "Of these, the lung diseases are the least recognized" said Dr Dean Schraufnagel, Executive Director, Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS), who was among the key experts at the 2nd Global NCD Alliance Forum in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Are actions out-of-step to control the 'tsunami' of NCDs?

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)

The city of Sharjah is about to get an air-conditioned walkway to promote walking all the year round- during the 5 months of searing summer heat of United Arab Emirates (UAE), informed the Ruler of Sharjah at the Second Global NCD Alliance Forum 2017: "Stepping up the pace on NCDs: Making 2018 count". In 2015 Sharjah, was officially recognised as a WHO Healthy City, by meeting 88% of WHO Healthy City programme criteria. It abounds in public spaces for sports and physical activities too.