Summit: All-round approach needed to fight chronic diseases
Kakaire A. Kirunda & Jane Nafula
Kampala
While it is evident that multi-sectoral simple approaches such as changes in diet, lifestyle and proper early childhood development could play a role in preventing chronic disease, which are now spiraling, these measures have been neglected.
Chronic diseases are ailments of long duration and generally slow progression. They include heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes. Princess Zahra Aga Khan made the observation on Saturday as the chronic diseases summit for low and middle income countries drew to a close.
The two-day summit was sponsored by the Aga Khan University in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation. “Good and bad habits are formed early in life, and breaking the cycle that leads to chronic diseases with some simple and cost-effective educational material and basic teaching on hygiene, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles has a huge and rapid impact,” she said.
She said governments need to play an important role in setting regulations and creating an enabling environment for the prevention of chronic diseases.
Mapping incidence and understanding the causes of chronic diseases, as well as in designing a health system to meet future requirements of a chronic disease-prone population, was a responsibility Princess Zahra said governments needed to consider seriously.
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