BY LWANDLE MTHUNZI
Health experts from across Africa are meeting in Victoria Falls to discuss ways of addressing the burden of non-communicable diseases, which according to experts, are the leading cause of mortality.
NCDs include diabetes, hypertension, car accidents, asthma, cancer and others.
They are the new leading cause of death worldwide particularly in low and middle-income countries thereby presenting a huge threat to health and development.
Speaking at the 2nd African Regional Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) Conference, Health and Child Care deputy minister John Mangwiro said Government targets to cascade healthcare to village level to be able to deal with NCDs.
“NCDs are common and a burden so as government we want to ensure village healthcare is capacitated so that everyone seeking medical attention accesses it at village level,” said Mangwiro.
The concern is that people are not aware of their blood pressure levels, daily temperatures, asthma levels and other conditions which usually results in death.
The burden of NCDs continues to grow and during Covid-9, the majority of victims were those with underlying conditions, most of them NCDs.
In 2019 NCDs were responsible for 37 percent of mortality, up from 24 percent in 2000.
There are concerns about slow implementation of policies agreed upon at high level political meetings and a call has been made for countries to address these issues and implement programmes that improve health.
Zimbabwe is working on a universal health coverage programme which will see people accessing primary health care at their doorstep.
Mangwiro said this will help address challenges of NCDs.
World Health Organisation representative at the conference, Anderson Chimusoro said NCDs affect lives of millions of people in communities where access to proper healthcare is limited.
He said NCDs are an enormous drain to global and national economies, costing US$30 trillion in years 2011 to 2030.
This has a negative impact on health and leaves people vulnerable to other diseases like HIV and TB, as well as pandemics like Covid-19.