Non-Communicable Diseases

Why this focus area?

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with a particularly high burden in humanitarian settings. Despite this, NCDs have received limited attention in humanitarian response efforts.   

From cardiovascular diseases to diabetes, these conditions exacerbate existing vulnerabilities and increase the strain on already overburdened healthcare systems. The ability to respond to chronic disease in both acute and long-term crisis settings is not well established, with access to care often inadequate and frequently disrupted. NCDs are often deprioritised due to limited resources and competing priorities. 

In February 2024 a High-Level Technical Meeting on NCDs in Humanitarian Settings was convened by WHO and UNHCR. This meeting reflected a global commitment to addressing the needs of people with NCDs during crises and aimed to strengthen the integration of NCDs in humanitarian responses. Read our blog reflecting on this event. 

Our work

The first Humanitarian Health Evidence Review (HHER), commissioned by Elrha and conducted in 2013, identified a scarcity of evidence related to the effectiveness of NCD interventions in humanitarian settings. The 2021 update to the HHER confirmed that while humanitarian NCD research outputs had grown, the evidence-base on interventions in this area remains extremely limited. 

Since 2014, Elrha has contributed to strengthening the evidence base by funding numerous studies using rigorous research methods to address the high burden of NCDs in humanitarian settings. 

Setting the Research Agenda

In 2022 we funded the development of a consensus-based ten-year research agenda for NCDs in humanitarian settings. This project was conducted by the International Rescue Committee and the American University of Beirut, guided by a Steering Committee comprising NCD technical experts, researchers and practitioners. Forty-three research questions were developed and prioritised following a multi-stage consultation with researchers, health practitioners and policymakers. 

To narrow the research focus, the priority setting focused on cardio-metabolic syndrome (CMS) – a leading contributor to morbidity and mortality in humanitarian settings.  CMS is a cluster of NCD conditions that occur concurrently, placing significant stress on individuals, families, communities, and the healthcare system.