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Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here’s your UPSC current affairs knowledge nugget on the Global Burden of diseases report for today.
(Relevance: These reports provide an overall understanding of emerging diseases and guide policymakers to take action. Understanding the key takeaways from this report is important to develop your understanding of the changing landscape of diseases worldwide and how they are affecting the population. This holistic understanding is important for your UPSC exams, as questions have been asked on these themes previously.)
Non-communicable diseases account for nearly two-thirds of the world’s total mortality and morbidity, says the latest Global Burden of Disease (GBD) report launched at the recently concluded World Health Summit, Berlin, and published in The Lancet.
Produced through rigorous scientific methods and a global network of more than 16,500 collaborators, the report delivers insights for policymakers, healthcare leaders and researchers.
1. In India, the causes of death are shifting from infectious diseases to NCDs. According to the report, while in 1990 diarrhoeal diseases were the leading cause of deaths, with the age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) at 300.53 per lakh population, in 2023, ischaemic heart disease caused maximum deaths — ASMR rate at 127.82 per lakh population.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) was the second leading cause of deaths in India in 2023 with ASMR rate at 99.25 per lakh, while the third was stroke with an ASMR rate of 92.88 per lakh in 2023.
3. After killing 18 million people, COVID-19 dropped from the leading cause of death worldwide in 2021 to the 20th-leading cause in 2023
4. While the cause of death has shifted from infectious diseases to NCDs, the data shows an improvement in life expectancy in India from 1990 to 2023 with the all-cause ASMR per lakh population dropping from 1,513.05 per lakh in 1990 to 871.09 in 2023. In India there has been a 13-year increase — life expectancy at birth for males, females and both genders combined was 58.46 in 1990 and 71.56 in 2023. For men, it was 58.12 in 1990 and now 70.24, while for women in 1990 it was 58.91 and 72.96 in 2023.
5. Diabetes, depression, and anxiety disorders are fastest growing non-communicable diseases. The three leading risk factors for early death and disability worldwide are High blood pressure, air pollution (particulate matter), and smoking.
6. The report makes a strong case for a healthcare strategy that recognises the adverse effects of environmental pollution, unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles. Another key takeaway of the report is that though Indians are living longer, chronic diseases diminish the quality of life of senior citizens.
World Health Organisation on NCDs
— According to WHO, Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), also known as chronic diseases, tend to be of long duration and are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
— Cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes are the main types of NCDs.
— NCDs killed at least 43 million people in 2021, equivalent to 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally. In 2021, 18 million people died from an NCD before age 70 years; 82% of these premature deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
— Last month, the fourth UN high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and Mental Health (HLM4) was held where a new political declaration titled “Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being” was adopted.
— The declaration sets global targets to be achieved by 2030, including 150 million fewer tobacco users; 150 million more people with hypertension under control; and 150 million more people with access to mental health care.
— According to the NCD Alliance’s new report, “Delivering on Health and Financial Protection for All: Government Spending on Essential NCD Medicines and Services,” countries are dangerously underspending on NCDs.
— To achieve universal coverage and provide financial protection for NCD interventions, countries should aim to spend 1.1% to 1.7% of gross national income (GNI) on NCDs through their primary healthcare.
1. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development recognizes NCDs as a major challenge for sustainable development. By 2030, it aims to reduce by one third premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment (SDG target 3.4).
2. In 2019, the World Health Assembly extended the WHO Global action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013–2020 to 2030 and called for the development of an Implementation Roadmap 2023 to 2030 to accelerate progress on preventing and controlling NCDs.
3. The World Health Summit 2025 took place from October 12-14 in Berlin, Germany, and online under the theme “Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World.”
4. The annual World Health Summit brings together global health stakeholders from all sectors and regions to find solutions for the most pressing health challenges. In 2025, it took place under the theme “Taking Responsibility for Health in a Fragmenting World.”
Consider the following statements about the Global Burden of Diseases Report:
1. Launched at the World Health Summit, Berlin.
2. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder is the leading cause of death in India in 2023.
3. Diabetes, depression, and anxiety disorders are the fastest-growing non-communicable diseases.
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
| Answer key |
| (c) |
(Sources: Heart disease leading cause of deaths in India, says new study: ‘Focus must shift to healthy ageing’, Time to lead on non-communicable diseases; why governments must scale up funding, Investments in strong primary care networks important to prevent non-communicable diseases, India’s burden of lifestyle diseases is growing. We need a multi-pronged approach)
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