Governments must take urgent action to prevent noncommunicable diseases from becoming an uncontrollable epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. Sugar-sweetened beverage taxation offers a potential solution.
Rwanda’s food policies focus on production to make sure people have livelihoods and enough nutritious food. Not much attention is given to overnutrition.
Tension between the government’s economic and public health priorities is preventing stronger fiscal measures to address nutrition-related noncommunicable diseases.
The health and wellbeing effects will go beyond the direct impact of war-related fatalities, and are likely to last for years after peace is fully restored.
A stroke often leads to the sudden onset of weakness involving the face, arm or leg, an inability to speak, difficulty walking or impaired vision. Strokes can cause death and irreversible disability.
The rapid rise in diabetes mustn’t be overlooked, as it could have devastating health and economic effects. Most national health systems are already struggling with infectious diseases.
Being physically active is largely not an individual choice, but a result of what funds, spaces, places and opportunities are available to the individual and communities.
Depression and diabetes can occur together, and put huge strain on patients and health systems. Depression in patients with diabetes can cause poor self-management and poor treatment adherence.
Interventions using apps show promise as they could improve care for patients with chronic conditions. But patients can’t benefit from innovations unless they accept them and use them effectively.
South Africa faces high levels of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. The NHI is likely to battle to cope with treating large numbers of sick people.
Most facilities prioritize COVID-19 cases. In addition, curfews are still in effect in Kenya, which affects the working hours of clinics providing hypertension care services.
Professor and Programme Director, SA MRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science - PRICELESS SA (Priority Cost Effective Lessons in Systems Strengthening South Africa), University of the Witwatersrand
Director of the Non-Communicable Diseases Research Unit at the South African Medical Research Council, Professor in the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town