The Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and implementing technical cooperation activities related to the prevention, control, and surveillance of noncommunicable diseases, all forms of malnutrition, mental health, neurological and substance use disorders, including their risk factors. It also promotes policies and strategies related with disabilities and rehabilitation, road safety, as well as prevention of and response to violence in all its forms.

NMH raises political, public, and professional awareness and helps policymakers, health authorities, practitioners, and communities to understand the burden of the NCDs, all forms of malnutrition, external causes, risk factors, and the impact of the social and commercial determinants of health.

NMH promotes multi-sector and multi-stakeholder strategies that strengthen the capacity of Member States to promote and protect health through public policies, programs, services, and surveillance, to prevent and control risks, improve prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and self-management to reduce the burden of death and disabilities and improve the physical, mental, and social well-being of the population.

NCDs in the Region of the Americas: celebrating PAHO’s 120 years

Access our newest publication

Leading causes of death and disease burden in the Americas

The health status of its population is a key determinant of a country’s social and economic development. Understanding disease morbidity, mortality, disability, and the related impact on life expectancy is a fundamental pillar for building resilient health systems and more equitable societies.

This report presents an in-depth analysis on life expectancy and mortality in the Americas, exploring the burden of disease throughout the life course. It focuses on NCDs, encompassing mental and substance use disorders, neurological conditions, and external causes during the period 2000–2019.

This report provides evidence urgently needed for decisive actions, so that the Sustainable Development Goals can be achieved by the countries of the Americas.

DOWNLOAD

AREAS OF WORK

Click on the buttons below to access the pages

Mental Health and covid-19 commission

Webinars: Tackling NCDs during COVID-19

Banner of the webinar series on NCDs and COVID-19

NoncommunicaBLE DISEASEs and COVID-19

Mental Health and COVID-19

CAMPAIGNS

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month - September 2023

More information

More information

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

MORE INFORMATION

Virtual Courses

Virtual Course on Fundamentals of Palliative Care - 2020

Psychological First Aid (PFA) in disaster management in the Caribbean - 2019

Tobacco and Public Health: From Theory to Practice (2016 Version)

Preventing Self-harm/suicide: Empowering Primary Health Care providers

Virtual Course on Comprehensive Cervical Cancer Control

More courses

HEARTS in the Americas

Best practices for the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases

ENLACE Data Portal

Data portal on NCDs, Mental Health and External Causes

RaMPS: Rapid Mobile Phone Survey

PAHO initiative to strengthen noncommunicable disease (NCD) surveillance. A tool to comoplement the NCD surveillance toolbox measuring NCDs policies and interventions at the population level

Inter-American Task Force

An strategic alliance led by PAHO to promote the prevention and control of NCDs in the Americas

Subscribe

Newsletter

Subscribe to the PAHO´s email list to receive the Newsletter on noncommunicable diseases and mental health and invitations to webinars and other activities