By Joyce Remi-Babayeju
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate has disclosed that each year in Nigeria, 447,800 people die due to Non- Communicable Diseases, NCDs.
Prof. Pate stated this on Thursday in Abuja at the launch of a series of the National Documents for the Prevention and Control of NCDs aimed at addressing NCDs in Nigeria.
“This agenda, which prioritizes health and well-being, guides us as we work to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3: “Good Health and Well-being”, the minister said.
According to him, NCDs which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, sickle cell disease, and mental health disorders, is a public health challenge in Nigeria.
” These conditions account for 27% of all annual deaths in our country, equating to approximately 447,800 lives lost each year. Many of these deaths are premature, occurring between the ages of 30 and 70, highlighting the urgency of our intervention, he noted.
In a bid to address these health issues and in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the ministry has developed the strategies to address these pressing NCDs health issues, Prof. Pate said.
our Ministry has developed a comprehensive response encapsulated in several key policy documents, which we are launching today, Pate emphasized.
However, the minister said that NCDs are preventable, but they are exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, poor diets, and physical inactivity.
The National Health Policy for prevention and control of NCDs , include strategic plan of action on Tobacco prevention, Newsletter on People living with NCDs, and Gazette on Fats, Oils, & Food Containing Fats & Oils Regulations 2022.
The documents , the minister said are to foster accountability, while ensuring that healthcare providers to deliver better care, and communities adopt proactive steps towards healthier lifestyles.
Meanwhile, Prof. has revealed that the Federal government is
expanding cancer diagnosis and treatment infrastructure in six federal teaching hospitals, to boost the capacity to combat NCDs.
“The retraining of 120,000 frontline health workers is also underway, equipping them with the latest skills and knowledge to meet evolving healthcare needs”, he explained.
