Neglected and in Crisis: Delivering NCD Care in humanitarian settings

Managing chronic conditions like NCDs can be challenging in any setting, however, people living with cancer, chronic lung diseases, diabetes or heart diseases face even greater challenges when in humanitarian settings. These include disruptions to the delivery of healthcare because of restricted access, damage or destruction of health facilities and infrastructure; limited availability of healthcare providers; or disrupted supply of medicines, diagnostics, and products. People living with NCDs are also more susceptible to complications in their care, especially because important coordination between healthcare providers may no longer be possible during crisis situations.

NCD prevention and care in humanitarian settings has been a neglected topic up until recent years. But humanitarian actors are now recognising the urgent need to improve NCD prevention and care for people living in or affected by humanitarian crises.