Chronic Disease Brief For Africa (September 2016) By Dara Oloyede

September 2016

Botswana: Professionals Get Training to Tackle Addiction

Nigeria: Advocates Early Diagnosis For Kidney Disease

Kenya: Nyeri Residents Receive Subsidized Screenings for Non-Communicable Diseases

Africa Makes Progress in Reducing Communicable Disease Burden

Non-Communicable Diseases in Tanzania

 

Botswana: Professionals Get Training to Tackle Addiction

Professionals in Gaborene who treat and work with patients who have various substance and drug additions took a 10-day universal treatment course (allafrica.com). The International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and US Department of State funded and designed this program, and the Colombo plan International Center for Education (ICCE) facilitated the courses (allfrica.com). Dr. Alfred Madigele, who is the Assistant Minster of Health, said that “the training marked the first step in the journey of creating a cadre of credentialed addictions professionals in Botswana” (allafrica.com). One of the participants, said that drug abuse was become a “global disease” and the training prepared them to deal with those batting addictions (allafrica.com).

For more information check out this article at allafrica.com: Botswana: Course Helps Professionals Tackle Addiction

 

Nigeria: Advocates Early Diagnosis For Kidney Disease

PathCare Laboratories is “Nigeria’s only ISO accredited pathology laboratory” (allafrica.com). This organization is urging doctors to send patients showing signs of kidney disease to laboratories with the specialized resources to give them the proper care that would improve their health outcome (allafrica.com). Dr. Tolupe Adewole, who is the executive director of the lab, said that “unlike most disease conditions, kidney diseases do not show symptoms in the early stages” (allafrica.com). He also said that “early and accurate” diagnosis is important for early detection of kidney disease (allafrica.com). Dr. Adewole said that some of the causes of kidney failure are due to preventable non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension (allafrica.com).

For more information check out this article at allafrica.com: Nigeria: Pathcare Advocates Early Diagnosis to Tackle Kidney Diseases

 

Kenya: Nyeri Residents Receive Subsidized Screenings for Non-Communicable Diseases

In the Nyeri County, Dr. Loise Wagana, who is a physician and heart disease specialist, coordinated a “subsidized screening program” (allafrica.com). This program reduced the cost of services from Sh6000 to Sh500 (allafrica.com).Through this program people are able to receive screenings for “cholesterol, heart, and chest problems” (allafrica.com). This subsidized screening program was created to provide access to services that are not available or affordable at other facilities. This area has seen a rising prevalence in non-communicable diseases such as “diabetes, cancer, and hypertension” (allafrica.com). Records show that “400 new cases are recorded yearly” at Nyeri county(allafrica.com). Dr. Wagana is especially urging those who are over 40 to complete screenings, since it’s commonly seen among that age group (allafrica.com).

For more information check out this article at allafrica.com: Kenya: Nyeri Residents Undergo Screening for Non-Communicable Diseases

 

Africa Makes Progress in Reducing Communicable Disease Burden

The World Health Organization’s 2015 report on Africa, said that the continent has made notable gains in reducing the weight of communicable diseases, however new problems are arising with the increase in non-communicable diseases (allafrica.com). Data shows that “new HIV infections have dropped by 19% over the past 15 years, and incidences of Malaria has dropped 42% also within the past 15 years” (allafrica.com). In order to address the rising non-communicable diseases, so far 23 countries “have developed multisectoral NCD strategic plans” (allafrica.com).

For more information check out this article at allafrica.com: Africa Trimmed Communicable Disease Burden

 

Non-Communicable Diseases in Tanzania

In Tanzania, “the WHO estimates that NCDs account for around 27% of all mortality in Tanzania” (allafrica.com). In terms of mortality rates about 12% of deaths are due to cardiovascular diseases, and 3% due to cancers, 3% to respiratory diseases, and 2% are due to diabetes (allafrica.com). NCDs are impacting a growing number of people, and specialists say that the rising cases of NCDs is due to “increased indulgence in unhealthy lifestyles such as bad eating and physical inactivity” (allafrica.com). Recommendations include a study to understand the scope of NCDs, and plans for prevention and interventions (allafrica.com).

For more information check out this article at allafrica.com: Tanzania: Intensify Campaign to Curb Lifestyle Diseases

 

 

Dara Oloyede is the African News Correspondent for Engage Africa Foundation, and she is pursuing her MPH in Public Health. During her free time she likes to read books, hang out with friends, go to the movies, concerts, as well as events that celebrate different cultures. 

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