Non-Communicable diseases are chronic or long-term diseases resulting from different factors that are usually genetic, physiological, behavioral and environmental. The common types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, chronic kidney disease and diabetes. These diseases affect people of all ages, regions and countries especially the low- and middle- income countries. Despite the belief that NCDs are associated with the wealthy people, they are also in the increase among the low-income status people.
NCDs account for 7 of the world’s top 10 causes of death with heart disease being the leading cause of death and more than three quarters of global deaths. These are also driven by the nutrition transition; people have changed from having traditional foods to processed food and also adapted to unhealthy lifestyles and low physical activity due to the improved technology, rapid unplanned urbanisation and globalisation.
The Uganda National NCD risk factor survey (2014) showed that:
- One in every four adults in Uganda suffers from a Non-Communicable Disease.
- Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among females in Uganda
- 10% of Ugandans aged 18- 69 years have at least three risk factors for NCDs with 20% aged 45-69 years having more than three risk factors.
The great news is that these NCDS are preventable and we can achieve an NCD free space once we set our minds to changing our lifestyles by having proper nutrition, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol consumption, exercising regularly and having regular health checks.
Ministry of Health (Uganda), World Health Organization (WHO). Uganda STEPS Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors Survey 2014. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization (WHO).
