The Global Health Response needs to give more attention to Non-Communicable Diseases

[Titus James TWESIGE]

With the experience from the recent COVID 19 pandemic, the growing cases of Tuberculosis in Uganda, the persistence of HIV and AIDS, it is becoming increasingly clear that Non-Communicable Diseases are already becoming the country's next epidemic.

However, not enough is being said and done about prevention of NCDs. Although a small proportion of health funding is available for NCDs, most of it is spent on treatment or setting infrastructure like Cancer centres. While this is essential for people already sick, it would not make logical sense to prepare to increase capacity for the chronic treatment and care of NCDs, yet communities continue to be ignorant and taking no action to prevent the spread of NCDs. 

With the increasing risks of lifestyles, dangerous foods on the market etc, we are loosing lives that we shouldn't. It only takes deliberate actions to influence lifestyles and behaviour around three things; 

1. Screen early, know your status and take control of your health. 

2. Raise awareness on nutrition and dieting that is risky and what is recommended 

3. develop innovations that will make physical activity friendly, available and part of a lifestyle in communities, workplaces etc

We need to integrate our NCD messaging and action within the already successful responses for HIV, COVID 19 etc 

[Rituu B. Nanda]

We have SALT and community competence process for patient led approach to diabetes and hypertension. Read the evaluation here https://www.ijph.in/article.asp?issn=0019-557X;year=2022;volume=66;...