Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes, are responsible for 75% of deaths worldwide. People affected by humanitarian emergencies are at increased risk of NCDs. It is estimated that strokes and heart attacks are up to 3 times more likely following a disaster. However, care and treatment for NCDs are often not included as a standard part of humanitarian emergency preparedness and response, which focus on the most immediate needs. To support integration of essential services for NCDs into emergency preparedness and humanitarian response, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Kingdom of Denmark, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Republic of Kenya, and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, are jointly convening a global high-level technical meeting on NCDs in humanitarian settings on 27-29 February in Copenhagen, Denmark. Humanitarian emergencies in recent years are becoming more complex and interconnected....
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