Abstract for: Evaluating the Health and Economic Benefits of WHO Package of Essential Non-Communicable Diseases Intervention in Cambodia

In Cambodia, the changes in lifestyle and behaviors brought about by economic development in combination with rapid urbanization and population ageing has resulted in a rise in NCDs. According to available data, 15% of the population is overweight, 16% have hypertension, 1 in 5 have raised total cholesterol and tobacco use is estimated at 37%. Although mortality has decreased over time, the number of deaths, as well as the proportion of deaths due to NCDs, has risen steeply. As the government of Cambodia sets out to fully implement the WHO PEN interventions to prevent and manage NCDs, there is an urgent need to estimate the health and economic benefits that will accrue to Cambodia for investing to prevent and manage NCDs. Thus, to elucidate the potential health and economic benefits that will ensue to Cambodia for implementing WHO PEN interventions, a validated systems model was developed and used to estimate the health benefit (averted NCD complications: nephropathy, retinopathy, CVD, CHF, PVD, COPD, cervical cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and smoking initiation) and economic benefit (gains in gross domestic product (GDP)) based on improved management of individuals with diabetes and hypertension, as well as smoking cessation and additional prevention policies.