By: Kemo Kanyi
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) claim about 41 million lives worldwide each year, accounting for 71% of total deaths each year,according to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health.
Health Ministry PS Adama Drammeh gave this information at a five-day West Africa peer review and multi-country workshop at Tamala Beach Hotel in The Gambia on Monday, October 7th, 2024. The Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC) organized the event with selected representatives from the West Africa Region.
‘’This is a tragedy. Therefore, NCDs shorten lives. We must come to collective action and prevent more than 80 million people between the ages of 30 and 69 from going through the same pressure. The vast majority of these deaths, about 85% usually occur in low and middle-income countries. Mental health conditions are also on the rise globally, posing a threat to both lives and economies. Socio-economic consequences of mental health issues are devastating and The Gambia is not immune to these challenges,’’ PS Drammeh stated.
Betty Kabarega Ingabire, Non-communicable Diseases Technical Officer for Africa CDC, said addressing challenges in various aspects must be prioritized to curb the rise in NCD premature deaths.
‘’NCDs including injuries and mental health conditions have become the leading cause of premature deaths and morbidity and an important barrier to increasing life expectancy in every country of Africa. Our health systems capabilities and infrastructure are still fragile with challenges including policy and programmatic gaps, amongst others,’’ NCDs technical officer stated.
She added that in addressing the challenges highlighted, Africa CDC developed continental strategic priorities, focusing on addressing NCDs, injuries, and mental health.
Dr. Momodou T. Nyassi, acting director of health services of The Gambia mentioned that:‘’NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer pose a substantial challenge to public health, globally. Coupled with this, mental health has increasingly emerged as a critical area of concern, affecting millions of people often intersecting with physical health issues and injuries.’’
He said the forum provides a unique opportunity as it brings together experts from various fields such as healthcare professionals, policymakers, researchers, and advocates to share insights, experiences, and best practices to curb NCDs.
