The OECD published a report on non-communicable diseases, analysing their impact on society and the economy, while presenting actions on risk factors to reduce the consequences that affect people’s quality of life.

In Romania, even if the prevalence of risk factors, survival rates and population size remain constant at current levels, OECD analyses indicate that, by 2050, there will be:

• a 29% increase in the number of cases of noncommunicable diseases;

• a 60% increase in the number of people living with at least two concurrent noncommunicable diseases;

• a 49% increase in per capita health expenditure for noncommunicable diseases.

Main conclusions:

• Fewer NCDs would lower health spending, increase workforce productivity, and strengthen economic growth in Romania. If the four NCDs covered in the OECD SPHeP NCDs model were eliminated, total health expenditure would be 40% lower on average, over the period 2026-2050.

• At the macroeconomic level, reduced premature mortality and increased productivity would translate into a 4.4% boost in annual GDP, on average over 2026-2050. This includes 1.0% due to cancer, 1.3% due to CVDs, 1.3% due to COPD and 0.8% due to diabetes.

• The economic gains from addressing risk factors are far greater than those achieved through improved survival rates

• Aligning CVD survival rates in Romania to the Top Quartile would reduce the total premature mortality by about 5.0% on average between 2026 and 2050, while improved cancer survival rates would reduce premature mortality by 1.9%.