About 1.8 million deaths in Europe caused by chronic diseases could be avoided each year, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced today, and these deaths cost more than $ 500 billion.

“If non -contagious diseases (MMNs) were a virus, people would be in quarantine,” said his regional director who for Europe, Hans Kluge, noting that these diseases “can not only be prevented or healed, but also ignored”.

Each year, 60% of these deaths are linked to behavioral, metabolic or environmental factors such as tobacco, alcohol, poor nutrition or physical inactivity, factors growing in Eastern Europe, but which public health policies can deal with.

The remaining 40% could be avoided or delayed by early diagnosis and treatment, he said.

These deaths are very expensive. Losses are estimated at more than $ 514.5 billion ($ 439.4 billion) per year.

Only ten countries in the region, which includes 53 countries and extends to Central Asia, have already achieved the goal of reducing premature mortality by four main non -contagious diseases (cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory diseases) by 25% between 2010 and 2025.

These countries are: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Israel, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

According to the report, 26 other countries can still achieve this goal by 2025 if they enhance prevention efforts and improve the quality of care.