Civil society activism in accessing healthcare in South Africa: technical report

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) which are defined as medical conditions or diseases that are not infectious (WHO, 201) are the leading causes of mortality in the world, accounting for 36 million of the 53 million annual deaths globally. By nature, these diseases also known as chronic diseases are long in duration and have generally slow progression. They include mental and neurological disorders such as dementia and Alzheimer's dieses, autoimmune disorders such as psoriasis; bone and joint conditions such as osteoporosis and arthritis; as well as renal, oral, eye and ear diseases (NCD Alliance, n.d). However, according to the World Health Organisation, the four main types of NCDs which account for about 80 per cent of all NCD deaths are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke); cancers; respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructed pulmonary disease and asthma); and diabetes (WHO, 2013).