NCDs: A Growing Global Heath Threat

What are NCDs
A non-communicable Disease is a disease that is not spread through contact or germs. It is caused by how people live (e.g. harmful lifestyle behavior) , conditions that they are born with (either genetic , inherited or due to unknown causes) , or exposure to environmental hazards (e.g. second hand smoke, fumes, toxic substances etc.).

The main lifestyle related risk factors of NCDs are tobacco use, inadequate eating habits, physical inactivity and alcohol misuse, all of which are avoidable and preventable social determinants that also increase high blood pressure, dyslipidemia and obesity.

• Why should the world take notice of NCDs?

“To do justice by our duty as the voice of all those who have been affected by NCDs, and to protect the lives of all those who will be affected by them in the coming years, we need to ensure that NCDs receive a new label marked “urgent action required now.” Her Royal Highness, Princess Mired.

The WHO has identified the following chronic diseases as the main threats to human health: cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases: “These four diseases are the main causes of death and disability worldwide, representing about 60% of deaths and 44% of early deaths (35 Million deaths every year, 80% of which occur in low and middle income countries”

NCDs represent a serious public health issue and are a health emergency worldwide. Deaths from NCDs are rising quicker in Africa than in the rest of the world (27%), with the Eastern Mediterranean region (25%) a close second. The highest absolute number of deaths will occur in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions. In spite of the severity of the situation and the enormous strain they have on health systems worldwide, the funding to fight NCDs is only 1% of the total funding that is dedicated to development.

The negative impact of NCDs has increased due to urbanization, the modifications of lifestyles, growing reach and power of corporations that promote the use of harmful substances (unhealthy food, etc), social inequality and poverty, difficulty in access to affordable health systems, and political and social inaction.

NCDs deepen social inequality since they have a greater impact on poor, less educated people, members of certain ethnic groups, women, children and the elderly, all of whom have lower access to health services, thus hindering human development, counteracting the efforts in the fight against poverty and increasing health inequalities. Despite this, NCDs are still not part of the political agenda of most countries and the Millennium Development Goals.

Prevention and control of NCDs is not only a health strategy, but also a development intervention as a key action in ensuring sustainable human rights and human development. There are several international treaties in which States have assumed obligations and commitments to guarantee essential human rights that are directly connected to the prevention and control of NCDs. However, implementation of these treaties is insufficient.

Some Ministers from National Health Department have made comments like: “Health systems are nearly bankrupt and prevention on NCD’s is the solution” and “because of the current economic situation it is necessary to prioritize prevention”. There is as a result, an emerging tension in 2011 between those who believe that such a meeting should concentrate on prevention and those who believe that support and research for a cure for NCDs is also crucial.

While a focus on prevention, where possible, is necessary, it is vital that similar importance be given to research and to providing affordable, accessible, quality care for patients already suffering from cancer as well as for those suffering unpreventable cancers.

Cancer

By Alpha Bedoh Kamara


So bizarre my people feel about it

So far related the majority sneers at it

Yet so calamitous- the toll rises

But among the crowd are those that shiver

Knowing the fate that awaits

To struck beyond repair

If threats are left unattended




So bizarre the taboos awaits

Those that fall victims

Of the related-that the majority sneers at

Yet so calamitous- the toll rises

But among the crowd are those that shiver

Knowing the fate that awaits

And believe the majority must hear

The campaign against the disease


Cancer!!







I dedicate this poem to the millions of people suffering from cancer in the world.

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Tribal Heads Challenge Under-age Bondo In Freetown

The campaign against the initiation of children under age (18 and below) into Bondo is positively getting the support of traditional stakeholders with Soweis and traditional heads in the Western Area unanimously supporting the abolishment of under-aged bondo in Freetown.


Soweis, tribal heads and representatives from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Freetown City Council, Family Support Unit and other stakeholders made recommendations for the banning of child bondo in the Western Area on Tuesday at the Council of Churches Sierra Leone.

The Mende Tribal head, Chief Matthew Jibao Young, said bondo is not a bad culture and that looking back at the history of Sierra Leone, one of the most powerful women, Madam Yoko, was famous because of bondo.

“She was not initiating children but matured women who went through training of womanhood, well prepared to face the world,” adding that today children are being taken for initiation and will come out knowing nothing about the purpose of bondo.

“We the Council of Tribal Heads want every sowei to join the sowei council,” he said, noting that that will bring sanity to the process.

He said there are many women on the prowl claiming to be soweis and causing lots of trouble and that many of them are the ones initiating children.

“We must start to expose them and ensure that 18 year-old girls and below are no longer initiated in our communities,” he said.

According to most of the soweis, the reason for the high rate of teenage pregnancies in the country is caused by early initiation of girls before the age of maturity.

Chief Young however implored the soweis that for them to be able to implement their duties successfully they, soweis, and women in Sierra Leone must champion the cause to the fullest.

The president of the sowei council, Koloneh Sesay, implored her colleagues to revive bondo to what it used to be in the days of Madam Yoko, adding that children know nothing to be initiated into bondo.

He said they will all benefit immensely when bondo is practiced as it was and that in those days initiations are carried out with the consent of chiefs.

“There is no respect gained by initiating children into bondo,” he said.

The Social Development officer in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Mariatu Bangura, said Soweis should now be looking at the age of the girl to be initiated before accepting her for the ceremony.

“We are happy as a ministry that soweis are supporting the process of addressing the problem of underage bondo,” she said, and citing the Child Rights Act, Bangura said “Article 19 of the Convention states that State Parties must "take all appropriate legislative, administrative, social and educational measures to protect the child from all forms of physical or mental violence.

“You should now refuse children taken to you for initiation,” she said,

However, people contacted in the communities said despite the issues being raised many children are initiated in the provinces in the presence of traditional elders.

“The capacity and willingness must be there to tackle the issue,” Salamatu Kamara, a teacher at the Ansarul Primary school Wellington said, adding that Government should target education institutions, traditional and societal heads and made them commit to the campaign against childhood bondo.