Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of global mortality, accounting for more premature deaths each year than all other causes combined (1). In the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, they account for 2.3 million deaths per year (2). The four main noncommunicable diseases – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases – are the largest contributors to mortality in the majority of countries in the Region. Deaths attributed to cardiovascular disease range from 13% in Somalia to 49% in Oman. Cancer deaths are reported to range from 3% in Somalia and Afghanistan to 20% in Qatar (2). There are very high rates of diabetes in the Region; of the 10 countries reported to have the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world, 6 are in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (3).