Public ignorant about Noncommunicable diseases, says minister

Jun 19, 2017

Aceng said in the cost effective management of diseases, emphasis should be placed on ability to detect them as early as possible.

Health Minister Dr. Jane Aceng has called for sensitization of the public about noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) so as to the fight the diseases.

Speaking during an alignment meeting in Kampala, Aceng said there is an increase of NCDs especially heart diseases adding that about 97% of the population do not know about these diseases.

"Ignorance about NCDs is one of the challenges government is facing in eradicating them," she said

She added that a recent study on NCDs shows that heart diseases are on the rise, hypertension at 10% and diabetes at 3%. The most common NCDs include; heart diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.

Aceng said in the cost effective management of diseases, emphasis should be placed on ability to detect them as early as possible.

It is against this background that Uganda Heart Institute in partnership with Medtronic are going to carry out a pilot programme with UHI as the hub networking with twelve hospitals.

The hospitals include; Rubaga, Nsambya, and Novic, Mulago, Mengo, Case medical centre, Nsambya and Victoria University hospital among others.

The aim of this is to improve healthcare in the country.

The executive director Uganda of UHI Dr. John Omagino said they treat 15 cases every week, the number which he said is too big to manage.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is suddenly blocked by a blood clot. And if blood flow is not restored quickly, affected portion of the heart begins to die.

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