ANAMBRA HEALTH COMMISSIONER, DR. OBIDIKE, DESCRIBES NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASE AS SILENT KILLER

 Anambra Health Commissioner describes Non-Communicable Diseases as a silent killer

By Chukwudi Nwauba

Anambra State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike has described Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs) as a silent killer disease that must be tackled in the society.

Dr. Obidike said this at the just concluded 2day training of trainers organised by the AstraZeneca, Healthy Heart Africa partners in Awka.

The training involved participants’ of Ministries of Health, Primary Healthcare Developments from Anambra State, Imo, Enugu, and Delta State

``This training of trainers of Health Professionals on Non-Communicable disease is highly commendable because it will help us to educate our people that non-communicable disease shouldn’t be taken for granted.

``It may interest you to know that non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory and diabetes are the leading cause of death worldwide; represent an emerging global health threat.

``Deaths from NCDs now exceed all communicable disease deaths combined, so I am very delighted that participants are health personnel that will help address this silent killer disease in their different States.

``NCDs kill 41 million people each year, equivalent to71 percent of all deaths globally. Each, more than 15 million people die from an NCD between the ages of 30 and 69 years; 85 percent of these ‘’premature’’ deaths occur in low-and middle-income countries.

``Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.9million people annually, followed by cancers 9.3million, respiratory diseases 4.1million, and diabetes 1.5million.

``So, these four groups of diseases account for over 80 percent of all premature NCD deaths.’’

``All the states participating in this training have common diseases like diabetes, and hypertension that are killing our people; if we fail to tackle it will be devastating to us.  

He commended AstraZeneca, and Healthy Heart Africa partners for organizing the impactful training that will help in addressing the non-communicable disease issues, and urged the participants to help step down the training.

Mr. Paul Edeh said Population Services International is an American Non-Governmental Organisation that operates in more than 60 Countries including Nigeria.

``So we are involved in so many health interventions like Family Planning, and currently the implementing partners for Healthy Heart Africa which is sponsored by AstraZeneca.

``Healthy Heart Africa is a program funded by AstraZeneca majorly on Non-Communicable disease, especially hypertension control, that’s what we are working on.’’  

Mr. Edeh thanked the Commissioner for his contributions as well as for educating the participants on Non-Communicable diseases and the importance of accurate data.

He explained that the non-communicable program will be expanded from the 6 Local Governments to more in the future.

According to him, the Zonal training of trainers is for States in the South East and they will help to step-down the training to health facilities.

A Facilitator from the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Mrs. Kosarachi Aluka said they trained the participants on NCDs management with a focus on hypertension.

``I am very much impressed with their input, and output as far as this training is concerned and they participated optimally.

Participants were trained on Introduction to Hypertension, Causes, and Complications, Diagnosis, Management, and Blood Pressure measurement.

Patient counselling, Education, patient tracking and monitoring, and Adherence support. (MOI)