Cardiovascular Diseases and Diabetes as Economic and Developmental Challenges in Africa Andre Pascal Kengne a, b, c , ⁎ , Zandile June-Rose Mchiza d , Albert George Baidoe Amoah e , Jean-Claude Mbanya f , g a South African Medical Research Council & University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa b The George Institute for Global Health, Sydney, Australia c Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands d Chronic Diseases of Lifestyle Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa e Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, National Diabetes Management and Research Centre, University of Ghana Medical School, Accra, Ghana f National Obesity Centre, Yaounde Central Hospital and Department of Internal Medicine and Specialties, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon g University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Current estimates and projections suggest that the burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), diabetes and related risk factors in African countries is important, somewhat unique and rapidly growing. Various segments of the population are affected; however, the group mostly affected is young adults residing in urban areas, and increasingly those in the low socioeconomic strata. The African milieu/environment is compounded by weak health systems, which are unable to cope with the looming double burden of communicable and chronic non-communicable diseases. This review discusses the economic and developmental challenges posed by CVDs and diabetes in countries in Africa. Using several lines of evidence, we demonstrate that the cost of care for major CVDs and diabetes is beyond the coping capacities of individuals, households, families and governments in most African countries. We have reviewed modeling studies by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and other major international agencies on the current and projected impact that CVDs and diabetes have on the economy and development of countries in the region. Locally, appropriate strategies to limit the impact of the conditions on the economies and development of countries in Africa are suggested and discussed. These include monitoring diseases and risk factors, and primordial, primary and secondary preventions implemented following a life-course perspective. Structural, logistic, human capacity and organizational challenges to be surmounted during the implementations of these strategies will be reviewed. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Keywords: Diabetes mellitus Cardiovascular disease Africa Cost Economy Development Poverty PROGRESS IN CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES 56 (2013) 302 – 313 Statement of Conflict of Interest: see page 311. ⁎ Address reprint requests to Andre Pascal Kengne, MD, PhD, South African Medical Research Council, PO Box 19070 Tygerberg, 7505 Cape Town, South Africa. E-mail address: andre.kengne@mrc.ac.za (A.P. Kengne). 0033-0620/$ – see front matter © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pcad.2013.10.011 Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect www.onlinepcd.com