Comprehensive strategies for the prevention and control of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in Africa: future directions

The countries of the Sub Saharan African region have insufficient resources and healthcare systems that are poorly adapted to cope with the longstanding burden associated with communicable diseases and the ongoing HIV/AIDS pandemic. In addition, the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and their risk factors, poses additional challenges. These countries need to urgently develop strategies to address these challenges of disease prevention and control. These strategies will require a new vision and more relevant and 'suitable' vocabulary in dealing with healthcare design, planning and implementation (using a cross-sectorial approach). Lessons learnt from the past (e.g. primary health care) in sub-Saharan Africa and other regions of the world may equally prove useful in developing strategies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases. Any potential strategy must emphasize the crucial role of economic, social, and environmental health determinants as well as the use of appropriate health technology.