A fragmented world map represents health challenges in low-income countries, with healthcare workers building bridges between them.

Triple Threat: Tackling Diseases and Accidents in Low-Income Countries

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 3 min read.

"Why low and middle-income countries face a unique health challenge and how to overcome it."

For many years, low and middle-income countries have struggled with communicable diseases. Now, they face a triple threat: non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and road traffic accidents.

Non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular diseases, mental illnesses, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and cancers are becoming increasingly prevalent in these countries. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, NCDs will account for 80% of the global disease burden and 70% of deaths, with the majority of this impact in low and middle-income nations.

This shift from communicable diseases to NCDs and road traffic accidents is driven by economic development, urbanization, and changing lifestyles. If these conditions aren't addressed promptly, they will severely strain healthcare systems and hinder economic progress.

The Prevention Imperative: Keeping Citizens Healthy and Productive

A fragmented world map represents health challenges in low-income countries, with healthcare workers building bridges between them.

Treating NCDs and injuries is expensive. Therefore, prevention programs are essential to keep citizens healthy and productive. Given the limited health infrastructure and workforce in low and middle-income countries, mid- and low-level health workers are crucial for promoting prevention services.

While low and mid-level health workers have proven effective in preventing NCDs in high-income countries, studies show their effectiveness is limited in low and middle-income countries.

Poor implementation could be the reason for limited effectiveness.
Proper system creation should be emphasized to yield better results.

To improve outcomes, low and middle-income countries should focus on developing robust systems for implementing prevention programs, leveraging their existing health workforce effectively.

Looking Ahead: A Call to Action

The current issue includes an editorial, original articles, case reports, and a letter to the editor. These articles cover non-communicable diseases and other topics.

Readers are encouraged to explore these articles and use their contents. Feedback and suggestions are welcome.

Addressing the triple burden of disease and accidents requires a comprehensive approach. By prioritizing prevention and strengthening healthcare systems, low and middle-income countries can protect their populations and foster sustainable development.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

Everything You Need To Know

What are the main health challenges faced by low and middle-income countries, according to this information?

Low and middle-income countries face a triple threat: communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and road traffic accidents. The article emphasizes this as a unique health challenge. The shift towards NCDs, such as cardiovascular diseases, mental illnesses, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and cancers, coupled with the persistent issues of communicable diseases and the increasing incidence of road traffic accidents, creates a complex health burden.

Why are non-communicable diseases a significant concern?

The rise of non-communicable diseases is significantly concerning because they are projected to account for a large share of the global disease burden and deaths. The World Health Organization estimates that by 2020, NCDs will constitute 80% of the global disease burden and 70% of deaths, with most of this occurring in low and middle-income nations. This shift puts immense pressure on healthcare systems and hinders economic progress.

Why is prevention considered so important in this context?

Prevention is critical because treating non-communicable diseases and injuries is extremely costly. Prevention programs are essential to keep citizens healthy and productive. Given the limited health infrastructure and workforce in these countries, shifting the focus to prevention is a cost-effective strategy to alleviate the strain on healthcare systems and improve overall health outcomes.

What role do mid- and low-level health workers play in addressing these challenges?

Mid- and low-level health workers are crucial for promoting prevention services in low and middle-income countries. However, their effectiveness in preventing non-communicable diseases has been limited. To enhance outcomes, the focus should be on developing strong systems for implementing prevention programs and efficiently utilizing the existing health workforce.

What factors contribute to the rise of the triple threat?

The triple threat of communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases, and road traffic accidents is primarily driven by economic development, urbanization, and changing lifestyles. These factors influence health outcomes. To combat these issues, low and middle-income countries must implement strong prevention programs to improve health and ensure economic progress.