By María José Patiño Valiente. *
Chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs) are one of the leading annual causes of global deaths. Statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) show CNCD related deaths have increased by 28% worldwide. The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study points out that youth and middle-aged adults suffer most from CNCDs. Globally, 40% of these diseases occurred in people under 70 years of age and 87% of premature deaths occurred in low- to middle-income countries. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the advances that countries had been making in slowing down the progress of CNCDs, while also impacting health care shortcomings. Many patients suffering from one or more CNCDs have had to cancel or postpone treatment, resulting in increasing deaths from these diseases. Unfortunately, patients living with one or more NCDs are also more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection or death.