london the world health organisation says that about half of countries surveyed in a new analysis have had partial or complete disruption of services for people with high blood pressure and diabetes treatment during the ongoing coronavirus pandemicin a survey of 155 countries last month the un health agency found worrying problems in the provision of health care for people with noncommunicable diseases many of whom are at higher risk of severe complications from covid19many people who need treatment for diseases like cancer cardiovascular disease and diabetes have not been receiving the health services and medicines they need since the covid19 pandemic began said who directorgeneral tedros adhanom ghebreyesus in a statementits vital that countries find innovative ways to ensure that essential servicescontinue even as they fight covid19the survey also found that 42 of countries had interrupted services for cancer patients and 31 for heart emergenciesin more than 90 of countries health care staff had been partially or fully reassigned to pandemic duties