Navigating the political economy of non communicable diseases
In the 20th century, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) emerged to take control of the epidemiological landscape as a result of successive industrial revolutions and the ageing of the world's population. Instead of a relatively acute and brief course of diseases that were largely curable, NCDs brought predominantly lifelong illnesses that were incurable, which increased the demand for chronic medical expenses. In the realm of global development, the MDGs overlooked the dark threads of NCDs, but with the advent of the SDGs, a new dawn of awareness emerged, requiring urgent attention from the country's leaders and policymakers. And for developing comprehensive strategies to address this growing health crisis, it is important to understand its political economy.
The perspective of the political economy of NCDs refers to the route-turn where the health risk (e.g., behavioural or biological) of an individual connects with political and economic structures and practises. Viewpoint question includes, for example, how do political decisions and economic priorities interact to influence the surroundings in which people live? For instance, political choices motivated by desires to release the commercial sector from regulation have created an environment where it is challenging to make healthy choices.
Amidst the fabric of the nation's political economy, the fingerprints of industry and corporations can be found, each thread leaving its mark on consumer choices and lifestyle patterns. In such a setting, the objective of public health regulation to limit consumption of products that increase NCD risk creates a real dilemma for governments, with an apparent tradeoff between profits and public health interests. Industries that profit from the continuation of behaviours that increase the risk of developing NCDs are all significant contributors to GDP and job creation in the country. Instead of fresh and unprocessed food, highly processed foods, for example, have better profit margins due to their lengthy shelf lives. This perception of profit overlooks the adverse consequences, such as poor health, social costs, and lost productivity, that result from consuming unhealthy foods.
Companies with a stake in these products frequently drown out the voice of the health sector when it calls for policy changes in economic sectors that will lower consumption of profitable products. Thus, for more effective and progressive policies and dynamic collaborations in the arena of NCD control and prevention, we must delve deeper into the nexus of politics, economics, and public health, scripting a tale of resilience and well-being for generations to come.
The writer is a Senior Research and Knowledge Management Officer at Eminence Associates for Social Development.
E-mail: farihin@eminence-bd.org
Comments