Global Health ISAmerica’s Health

Tom Frieden, MD, MPHCommissioner

New York City Health DepartmentNovember 18, 2008

Global Burden of DiseaseChildren Are Hit Hard

• 10 million deaths of children <5 yrs. (99% in developing countries) – 4 million are newborns–Maternal and child under-nutrition cause >1/3 of child

deaths

• Lack of clean water/sanitation kill 2 million people a year – mostly children

• >500,000 women die of pregnancy-related causes

• 1 million deaths/year from malaria

Global Burden of DiseaseChronic Diseases Kill 35 Million a Year

• 80% of chronic disease deaths are in developing countries

• Cardiovascular disease is leading cause of death–4 million people die from high cholesterol–7 million people die from high blood pressure

• 5 million deaths result from violence and injuries

Global Burden of DiseaseTobacco Is the Leading Agent of Death

• Tobacco kills 5.4 million/year – one in 10 adult deaths worldwide– About 1 in 4 adults smokes – >1 billion people– Deaths could double in the next few decades

• Tobacco use could kill 1 billion people worldwide this century unless urgent action is taken

Global Tobacco Control Is Underfunded Compared with

Other Leading Causes of Death

World Health Organization

U.S. Lags Other Developed Nations in International Aid

Aid as percentage of GDP, 2006

OECD, 2006 data.

U.S.U.S.

More Effective Global Health Assistance

• Is a moral imperative

• Will help reduce our risk of infectious disease

• Will increase stability and productivity globally, protecting our security and economic interests