Published in Nature Medicine, The Economic Value of Reducing Mortality Due to Noncommunicable Diseases and Injuries by Stéphane Verguet, Sarah Bolongaita, Angela Y. Chang, Diego S. Cardoso, and Gretchen A. Stevens examines the financial impact of preventing deaths from major noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries. The study contributes to the World Bank’s Healthy Longevity Initiative, which aims to inform policies that promote longer, healthier lives.
The authors estimate the economic value of reducing avoidable mortality across different regions, highlighting significant gains from addressing cardiovascular diseases, cancers, and injuries. In 2019, preventing cardiovascular-related deaths alone could have contributed 2–8% of annual income in all regions, while reducing cancer mortality had a substantial economic impact in high-income countries and China. The study emphasises the need for multisectoral strategies to prioritise investments in healthcare, offering metrics that policymakers can use to allocate resources effectively and address global health disparities.