Brief Background:
Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) are silent killers. Non transmissible from person to person unlike COVID-19, and are driven largely by four main modifiable risk factors – tobacco use (cigarette smoking), unhealthy diet (excessive fasts and sugar), physical inactivity (overweight or fat deposits), and harmful use of alcohol.
Some of these diseases include; cardiovascular diseases which accounts’ for most NCD deaths, or 17.9 million people annually, followed by cancers (9.0 million), respiratory diseases (3.9 million), and diabetes (1.6 million). In 2018, the United Nations High Level Meeting on non-communicable disease added Mental Health and Pollution resulting in a 5 by 5 framework approach to preventing NCDs. Each year, NCDs account for 41 million deaths globally, with 85% coming from the low- and middle-income countries. 35% of annual deaths in Cameroon are due to NCDs.
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, persons living with NCDs have been provide to have highest risks of severe outcomes. About 80% of COVID-19 deaths are recorded with persons living with NCDs. We’ve seen through COVID-19, the devastating effects of inattention to certain groups of our population providing universal health coverage. We also need to build our health system to be ready to respond to crisis comprehensively. NCDs are a major cause (and consequence) of poverty and a barrier to economic and social development.
“Investing in population health to solve the problem of NCDs makes economic sense” – Prof. Jean Claude Mbanya, Chair, Cameroon NCD Alliance
The ActOnNCDs Campaign:
We have made plans, promises, and political signatures on global goals as well as commitments to fight against NCDs. It’s time to keep these promises by Acting on issues related to NCDs. The Global Week for Action on NCDs is in its third year. Each year, it is conducted to raise a voice for NCDs. For 2020, under the theme «ACCOUNTABILITY” the Week of Action aims at reawakening people on the dangers of NCDs as well as unite the NCD movement to recognize that accountability is not just in finances, but also in what we promise to do. Accountability is a crucial force for political and programmatic changes that will reduce the NCD burden of NCDs not just in Cameroon, but globally, improving the health of the population.
As RADA, we are affirm that community development is incumbent on a healthy society, hence, call on health, trade, finance, agriculture and other sectors of both government and the society to give heed to the benefits of investing on a healthy workforce and population by Acting on NCDs where their responsibility lies.
Actions such as those below are essential:
- We need to ban sales of alcohol to youth and children below 18 years of age.
- Tax unhealthy products such as (high sugar and fatty content foods)
- Educate on moderation and appropriate feeding by the population.
- Continue to promote physical activity
- Ban the illegal sales of tobacco and drugs such as tramadol.
- Promote an end to conflicts that inflict mental health stress, pain and suffering
OUR ROLE AS RADA
As a member of the Cameroon Civil Society Non Communicable Disease Alliance, we are running a National Youth NCD Action Network to raise awareness among youths, and support them towards walking the talk on NCDs. We add our voice to the efforts being made by the government as well as the entire NCD community in Cameroon to increase access to care for persons living with NCDs and re-iterate that more specific interventions needs to be implemented.
Together with the Alliance, RADA is ready to support, partner and collaborate with stakeholders to accelerate the implementation of national commitments on NCDs and Universal Health Coverage towards the fulfilment meaningful community development.
Thank you.
Ferdinant M. Sonyuy
President/CEO, RADA.
About RADA :
RADA is a community development organization based in Bamenda. Our mission is to promote community development by building bridges to sustainable solutions in the domains of health, education, agriculture, technology and peace. More about RADA on www.recdev.org
