NCD Brief One – Staring into the Abyss

Percept
February 2025
Staring into the abyss: What we know about the burden of non-communicable diseases in South Africa
Percept | January 2022
Non-communicable disease (NCD) is a catch-all term for diseases that are not infectious, which means
that an affected person generally cannot transmit the illness to anyone else. It is widely accepted that
NCDs are borne out of a complex mix of environmental, socio-economic and lifestyle factors. The five
main groups of NCDs include cardiovascular (heart) diseases; diabetes; cancera; chronic respiratory
diseases (including asthma); and mental health conditions. The addition of mental health as an NCD is
a recent development and reflects the growing recognition of the underlying burden of mental health
conditions.