43% deaths caused by non-communicable diseases

By Jeff Andrew Lule                         

More Ugandan are at risk of dying from the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) if they do not change their diets and lifestyles, the ministry of health has said.

According to the ministry's studies, an estimated 43% of the deaths in the country are caused by NCDs due to poor lifestyles and unhealthy foods.

While giving his presentation at the international conference on NCDs at Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala on Thursday, the ministry's programme manager for NCDs, Dr. Gerlad Mutungi said recent studies show that deaths due to NCDs had increased from 20% to about 43% since 2010.

The conference was organized by Uganda Non Communicable Disease Alliance (UNCDA), under the theme; "NCDs the Silent Killer we need to Know".

Mutungi said about 1,064, 000 million people are estimated to have died of NCDs in 2010 alone. NCDs include cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease like asthma and diabetes among others.

He said many cases go unrecorded since the studies base on cases reported at various government hospitals around the country. He said many people go to private hospitals and traditional herbalists for medication.

Mutungi said 25% of Uganda's adult population is hypertensive (having high blood pressure) while two million people are estimated to have diabetes.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics, NCDs cause 60% of deaths globally of which 18 million are women.

He said NCDs represent a major threat to women's health especially in the low and middle income countries.

The chairperson for Uganda Diabetes Association (UDA), Dr. William Lumu said a recent partial survey carried out recently, shows that 10% and 10.6% children in Kampala and Kamuli were over weighed.

He attributed the cause to unhealthy foods given to children and lack of playing fields in schools for physical exercises.

Lumu said unlike other communicable diseases, NCDs have no symptoms thus remaining conditions of late diagnosis, thus leading to complications like blindness, impotence, kidney diseases and amputations among others.

He said due to lack symptoms, 80% of people with these conditions remain ignorant (do not know) their status, yet they can be treated if detected early.

Lumu said UNCDA together with ministry of health are to conduct survey beginning January 2014, to get the exact number of people with NCDs for better planning. The survey is funded by WHO and government of Uganda.

In his speech delivered by director clinical services, Jacinto Amandua, the minister of health, Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda said the ministry was restrained by funds to acquire tools to diagnose the conditions.

He asked NCDs Parliamentary forum to lobby for more funds to help the ministry get sufficient funds to purchase the required tools and medicines for diagnosing NCDs patients.

The chairman board of directors, UNCDA Jackson Oryem said they have already opened a patient empowerment centre at Mulago, and already training volunteers to provide support for patients.