admin
Razak M Gyasi
NON-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for about 71 percent of the 57 million deaths reported around the world every year.
Most of these deaths are caused by diabetes, cancers, heart and lung disease.
Over 85 percent of these “premature” deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries.
A big concern is the growing prevalence of these conditions in older populations.
This is especially true in low- and middle-income countries where populations are currently ageing rapidly.
NCDs are, to some extent, preventable and manageable.
But it is estimated that by 2030 they will cause 75 percent more deaths than malnutrition and infectious diseases.
They create a burden of ill-health and disability, particularly among older people.
Mortality data does not always reflect the true personal and family impacts and costs of non-communicable diseases.
In Sub-Saharan African countries, older people often play crucial roles in their families and communities.
They care for younger relatives, for example, and contribute to household income through small-scale agriculture and petty trading.
Addressing the health challenges of older people benefits society as a whole.
The United Nations set sustainable development goals in 2015.
One of these aims is to reduce premature deaths from non-communicable diseases by a third by 2030.
It aims to promote mental health and well-being through effective prevention and treatment.
In our recent paper, my colleague and I looked into the burden and impact of these diseases.
We found that many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa are falling short of meeting the non-communicable disease global targets.
Governments, civil society and individuals need to do a lot more to care for and to improve the health of older people.
NCDs burden
The growing burden of NCDs in low- and middle-income countries is largely driven by cardiovascular risk factors.
They include rapid population ageing, lifestyle and social behaviour changes.
Sedentary behaviour or physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, tobacco use, harmful drinking and air pollution all contribute to growth in non-communicable diseases.
Many older people in Sub-Saharan Africa’s urban informal settlements live in poor socio-economic conditions and have unhealthy lifestyles.
These settlements are common in major cities such as Nairobi in Kenya and Accra in Ghana.
Older people living in these conditions are generally poor, and have little social protection and support.
They are unlikely to receive regular health checks, which would reveal early signs of NCDs and risk factors.
These communities may lack access to information about lifestyle diseases. And they may not know what to do to keep healthy.
In addition, older people in these challenging settings suffer a great deal from less readily acknowledged NCDs.
Razak M Gyasi is a post-doctoral research scientist in the Aging and Development Unit, African Population and Health Research Centre, in Nairobi, Kenya.
Continued online on www.sundaymail.co.zw
Online Reporter