Chronic disease management in the South-East Asia Region: a need to do more

Abstract

Chronic diseases account for a substantial proportion of deaths in the South‑EastAsia Region, ranging from 34% in Timor‑Leste to 79% in Maldives. Fuelled by theepidemiological shift towards noncommunicable diseases, the burden of chronicconditions is steadily increasing. Care structures for chronic diseases in most ofthese countries focus only on certain conditions and are often oriented towardsepisodic illnesses. An opportunity exists for holistic, country‑driven applications ofthe World Health Organization Innovative Care for Chronic Conditions frameworkto improve quality of care for chronic conditions in the region.