Measuring the number of deaths and their causes helps to improve health services and reduce preventable deaths.  Specifically, these data are used to monitor progress towards the health-related targets within the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, SDG Target 3.4 calls for reducing premature mortality from non-communicable diseases. Disease burden from non-communicable diseases is becoming a serious problem in many low-and middle-income countries .                                                                                                                                                                                       Assessing the cause of deaths data, disaggregated by age, sex and geographic location, is essential to identify inequities in health.
Cause of death, by non-communicable diseases, ages 15-59, male (% of male population ages 15-59)
The limited availability of data on health status is a major constraint in assessing the health situation in low-and middle-income countries. Surveillance data are lacking for many major public health concerns. Estimates of prevalence and incidence are available for some diseases but are often unreliable and incomplete. National health authorities differ widely in capacity and willingness to collect or report information. To compensate for this and improve reliability and international comparability, the World Health Organization (WHO) prepares estimates in accordance with epidemiological models and statistical standards.
Number of male deaths ages 15-59 due to non-communicable diseases divided by number of all male deaths ages 15-59, expressed by percentage. Non-Communicable diseases include cancer, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular diseases, digestive diseases, skin diseases, musculoskeletal diseases, and congenital anomalies.
Data on cause of death are compiled by the WHO, based mainly on data from national vital registry systems, as well as sample registration systems, population laboratories, and epidemiological analysis of specific conditions. Data are classified based on the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th revision. Data have been carefully analyzed to take into account incomplete coverage of vital registration and the likely differences in cause of death patterns that would be expected in undercovered and often poorer subpopulations. Special attention has also been paid to misattribution or miscoding of causes of death in cardiovascular diseases, cancer, injuries, and general ill-defined categories. For further information, consult the original source.