Physical exercise helps fight Non Communicable Diseases
Aug 08, 2016
Opendi said Uganda should borrow a leaf from Burundi which has dedicated Fridays for workers to do exercise after working half day
To intensify the fight against Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) there is need to institute policies on alcohol and physical exercise ."We need a physical exercise policy that makes it mandatory for workers to do regular exercise if we are to fight against NCDs," Sarah Opendi the state minister for primary health said.
Opendi said Uganda should borrow a leaf from Burundi which has dedicated Fridays for workers to do exercise after working half day.
"People should be encouraged to do exercise for 30 minutes if we are to fight against NCDs," she said.
She made remarks during the multi-sectoral task force meeting convened to strategise on prevention and control of NCDs at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala.
According to the survey conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) in 2014 the risk factors that determine the major NCD burden include insufficient physical activity, overweight and obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, use of tobacco and harmful use of alcohol, and unhealthy diets and others.
Oule Epyanu the principal marketing officer at the ministry trade addressing participants during the inuaguration of multisectoral task force on non communicable diseases (NCDs) at Golf Course Hotel in Kampala
The minister also emphasised formulation of policy on alcohol consumption saying selling of alcohol to children inform of sachets and people drinking early in the bars needs to be checked.
"The Police should arrest early drinkers in bars and those smoking in public places," she said.
The minister was backed by Dr. Julius Otim the manager of medical stores at Kampala Capital City Authority who said health checkups and physical exercise should be mandatory in work places.
He condemned the practice of serving alcohol to juniors while in other countries stringent laws are in place that bars young ones to consume liquor.
"Currently there is no policy and multi sectoral plan to guide the interventions for preventions and control of NCDs in the country," Dr. Gerald Mutungi the program manager of NCD at the Ministry of Health said.
He called on the ministry of urban planning to ensure creation of a physical environment for physical activity such as safe walking and cycling.
Oule Epyanu the principal commercial officer at the ministry of trade called for high taxation for companies producing alcohol and Tobacco as a measure to fight against NCDs.
He argued that this would discourage consumers to buy if the prices are higher. However, Kellen Nyamurungi, technical advisor monitoring and evaluation at Centre for Tobacco Control in Africa disagreed on high taxation saying there is need to do cost benefit analysis.
The World Health Organisation disease prevention and control advisor, Dr. Miriam Nanyunja called for the reactivation of the Parliamentary forum on NCDs in the 10th Parliament after the champions in the 9th Parliament were voted out.
According to Dr. Hofisa Kalule a consultant with WHO, globally NCDs kill more than 38 million people each year.
She said 16 million of all deaths attributed to NCDs occur before the age of 60; 90% of these "premature" deaths occurred in low and middle income countries.
She pointed out that cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths (17.3 million people annually), followed by cancers (7.6 million), respiratory diseases (4.2 million), and diabetes (1.3 million).
Kasule noted that these four groups of diseases which account for about 80% of all NCD deaths, share four risk factors which are tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol, and unhealthy diets.