Changing Disease Patterns in Africa

NASAC - The Network of African Science Academies, with the endorsement of its members, has published a science-policy document entitled: Changing Disease Patterns in Africa - Recommendations to Policymakers. The document is a ready source of reference for policymakers seeking an integrated approach in health development and is an output from the cooperation between NASAC and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina. The cooperation project between NASAC and the Leopoldina is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF).

Changing disease profiles on the African continent have enormous significance for the health and economy of Africa, highlighting the need to avert the looming negative consequences of a shift from a predominantly communicable disease profile to a situation of a dual burden consisting of communicable and non-communicable diseases. In light of this, Africa’s leading medical academics have come together through their science academies to undertake an analysis of the situation and to formulate a series of recommendations for African governments and other partners. This policymaker booklet emanates from a writing team constituted from participating science academies and is based on two conferences and a workshop. It brings together the best contemporary options and recommendations to assist policymakers to deal with the emerging problem of the concurrently growing dual burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases in a pro-active manner to avert or minimise their negative impacts.