Emerging non-communicable disease epidemic in Africa: preventive measures from the WHO Regional Office for Africa.

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) commissioned a study to compile and analyze published reports on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Africa to build evidence on the burden of NCDs in the region. Anecdotally, little information or literature was available on this subject. The objective of the study was to establish the status of NCDs in Africa by using published sources of information.