Project Globe Pilot Countries
Russia
The Russian Federation is suffering from a health crisis with its high death rate, low birth rate, and low life expectancy. In fact, the life expectancy rate for men in Russia is 58 as compared to at least 70 years of age in other western countries. Over 80% of these deaths are from chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease. Chronic diseases accounted for 1,956,000 deaths in 2005. The World Health Organization estimates that in the next ten years 19 million people will die from some form of chronic disease. Cardiovascular disease is the primary cause of death in the Russian Federation accounting for 55% of all deaths including 30% of all deaths of people under age 65.
Between 1950 and 2002, the heart disease death rates in the Russian Federation remained the same or increased. In countries where effective programs to reduce heart disease death rates were introduced – including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States – death rates from cardiovascular diseases decreased dramatically.
This health crisis has a huge impact on the economic condition in the Russian Federation. In 2005, estimates show that the Russian Federation lost 11 billion dollars in national income from premature deaths related to heart disease, stroke and diabetes. And projections show that these losses are expected to increase. The Russian Federation could lose 303 billion dollars over the next 10 years from premature deaths related to these chronic conditions.
Many of these deaths could be prevented or delayed through regular screening for risk factors, enhanced awareness of the condition, effective treatment of the identified risk factor and enhancing adherence to the prescribed treatments. Effective education of physicians involved in primary care and their patient population is absolutely essential to effectively address this problem.
The Project Globe Integrated Management of Chronic Disease and Risk Factor Control Program will be provided in Metropolitan Moscow in four major policlinics. The training will consist of 72 contact hours presented several times a week. Patients of the physicians attending the program will be followed closely during the pilot test and through the remainder of the time they remain under the care of a physician. With the pilot test results confirmed, the program will be expanded to include not only other Moscow clinics but across this vast country which covers eleven time zones.
At least 80% of premature heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes, and 40% of cancer could be prevented through healthy diet, regular physical activity and avoidance of tobacco products.
Cost-effective interventions exist, and have worked in many countries: the most successful strategies have employed a range of population-wide approaches combined with interventions for individuals.
The World Health Organization estimates that an additional 2% annual reduction in national-level chronic disease death rates in the Russian Federation over the next 10 years would result in an economic gain of 20 billion dollars for the country.
The estimates are reported in international dollars to account for differences in purchasing power between countries. An international dollar is a hypothetical currency that is used as a means of translating and comparing costs from one country to the other using a common reference point, the US dollar. An international dollar has the same purchasing power as the US dollar has in the United States.