Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) present Botswana with a crisis of monumental proportions that threaten the fabric of society and undermines collective aspirations for a healthier and more prosperous Botswana.
The Ministry of Health has just launched STEPwise approach to NCDs, a household-based survey that obtains data on established behavioural and biological risk factors that determine major burden of NCDs.
According to the Minister of Health, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, the scourge of NCDs looms large over Botswana. He said during the launch this week that NCDs continue to claim many lives annually and is exacting a high toll on society, that stretches far beyond mere statistics.
“What saddens us even more is that though NCDs are preventable, they continue to decimate many lives, including young people,” he said.
Globally, NCDs are the leading cause of death. They are responsible for a staggering 41 million lives lost each year. Shockingly, this represents 74 percent of all deaths worldwide, exceeding the combined death toll of HIV, TB, and Malaria.
On average, one person dies every two seconds prematurely, that is before the age of 70, from NCDs around the world. About 86 percent of these premature deaths occur in low and middle-income countries such as Botswana.
Minister Dikoloti concedes that in Botswana the burden of NCDs is also escalating at an alarming rate. Recent studies estimate that NCDs account for about 46 percent of all deaths in Botswana.
“This is a sobering reality that underscores the urgent need for action. Heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental illnesses such as depression are among the most prevalent NCDs affecting our population, wreaking havoc on individuals, families, and communities,” he said, adding that most people who die from NCDs succumb in the prime of their lives.
According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs are collectively responsible for 70 percent of all deaths worldwide; furthermore, an estimated 75 percent of all the premature deaths, that is, death before age 70, occurred in low-and middle-income countries, which encompasses Botswana.
These premature deaths, according to Minister Dr Dikoloti do not only deprive families of breadwinners, but they also lead to the loss of the country’s most productive and skilled workforce who were definitely going to help take our country to the next level of development.
Botswana, like other African countries, is experiencing an epidemiological transition due to urbanisation and adoption of western lifestyles. As a result, Botswana is experiencing a rise in modifiable NCDs risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol and air pollution.
Dikoloti is also concerned that the impact of NCDs extend far beyond the realm of healthcare. These diseases exact a heavy socio-economic toll, draining valuable resources and undermining the nation's development efforts.
“In a country already grappling with numerous challenges, the burden of NCDs only serves to exacerbate our struggles, further stretching our already overburdened health system to its breaking point,” he said.
He however stated that Botswana has taken significant strides in addressing the NCD crisis. One such initiative was prioritising diseases on the national agenda and implementing evidence based interventions aimed at
reducing their prevalence and impact.
Other interventions include health education and public awareness campaigns, community outreach programmes, strengthening and improving healthcare facilities and services, and enhancing capacity for early detection, diagnosis, treatment, care and support.
Other interventions include coming up with a tobacco control law, national alcohol policy and sugar-sweetened beverages tax. “We are also working tirelessly to tackle the root causes of NCDs and protect the health of our citizens and the next generations,” he said, adding that there is need to do more.
The launch of the third NCD risk factor survey scheduled for March 8 to June 18 this year is expected to also provide crucial insights into the current level of prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors among the population.
The survey is conducted in collaboration with partners such as the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA), World Health Organisation (WHO), and Statistics Botswana (SB).
According to the Minister, through face-to-face interviews, the teams will be able to gather key information on behavioural risk factors as well as screening for depression and anxiety. Physical measurements - for blood pressure, waist circumference, weight, height, and biochemical measurements such as blood glucose and blood cholesterol - will help gather comprehensive data that will inform policies, interventions, and resource
allocation strategies.
“This survey is about understanding the true burden of NCDs and their risk factors on our nation so that concrete steps can be taken to address the situation,” Dr Dikoloti said.
To keep track of their health, doctors recommend that males over the age of 40 need to check their blood cholesterol once a year. Women who are on the pill or other hormonal contraceptives need to have their blood
pressure checked once a year.
Men and women with their BMIs over 30 need to screen for diabetes every three years or more often depending on their risk analysis from their doctor. Every patient with high blood pressure needs to be screened for high blood cholesterol.
Women from the age of 21 years up to 65 years need to do cervical cancer screening every three or five years if HPV DNA test is also done.
In managing NCDs, medical experts also recommend physical activity. Physical activity does not need to be an hour in the gym lifting weights, but simple activities that are suitable like a 30-minute walk a day for five days a week is medically significant exercise.
The Ministry of Health has just launched STEPwise approach to NCDs, a household-based survey that obtains data on established behavioural and biological risk factors that determine major burden of NCDs.
According to the Minister of Health, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, the scourge of NCDs looms large over Botswana. He said during the launch this week that NCDs continue to claim many lives annually and is exacting a high toll on society, that stretches far beyond mere statistics.
“What saddens us even more is that though NCDs are preventable, they continue to decimate many lives, including young people,” he said.
Globally, NCDs are the leading cause of death. They are responsible for a staggering 41 million lives lost each year. Shockingly, this represents 74 percent of all deaths worldwide, exceeding the combined death toll of HIV, TB, and Malaria.
On average, one person dies every two seconds prematurely, that is before the age of 70, from NCDs around the world. About 86 percent of these premature deaths occur in low and middle-income countries such as Botswana.
Minister Dikoloti concedes that in Botswana the burden of NCDs is also escalating at an alarming rate. Recent studies estimate that NCDs account for about 46 percent of all deaths in Botswana.
“This is a sobering reality that underscores the urgent need for action. Heart diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental illnesses such as depression are among the most prevalent NCDs affecting our population, wreaking havoc on individuals, families, and communities,” he said, adding that most people who die from NCDs succumb in the prime of their lives.
According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs are collectively responsible for 70 percent of all deaths worldwide; furthermore, an estimated 75 percent of all the premature deaths, that is, death before age 70, occurred in low-and middle-income countries, which encompasses Botswana.
These premature deaths, according to Minister Dr Dikoloti do not only deprive families of breadwinners, but they also lead to the loss of the country’s most productive and skilled workforce who were definitely going to help take our country to the next level of development.
Botswana, like other African countries, is experiencing an epidemiological transition due to urbanisation and adoption of western lifestyles. As a result, Botswana is experiencing a rise in modifiable NCDs risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol and air pollution.
Dikoloti is also concerned that the impact of NCDs extend far beyond the realm of healthcare. These diseases exact a heavy socio-economic toll, draining valuable resources and undermining the nation's development efforts.
“In a country already grappling with numerous challenges, the burden of NCDs only serves to exacerbate our struggles, further stretching our already overburdened health system to its breaking point,” he said.
He however stated that Botswana has taken significant strides in addressing the NCD crisis. One such initiative was prioritising diseases on the national agenda and implementing evidence based interventions aimed at
reducing their prevalence and impact.
Other interventions include health education and public awareness campaigns, community outreach programmes, strengthening and improving healthcare facilities and services, and enhancing capacity for early detection, diagnosis, treatment, care and support.
Other interventions include coming up with a tobacco control law, national alcohol policy and sugar-sweetened beverages tax. “We are also working tirelessly to tackle the root causes of NCDs and protect the health of our citizens and the next generations,” he said, adding that there is need to do more.
The launch of the third NCD risk factor survey scheduled for March 8 to June 18 this year is expected to also provide crucial insights into the current level of prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors among the population.
The survey is conducted in collaboration with partners such as the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA), World Health Organisation (WHO), and Statistics Botswana (SB).
According to the Minister, through face-to-face interviews, the teams will be able to gather key information on behavioural risk factors as well as screening for depression and anxiety. Physical measurements - for blood pressure, waist circumference, weight, height, and biochemical measurements such as blood glucose and blood cholesterol - will help gather comprehensive data that will inform policies, interventions, and resource
allocation strategies.
“This survey is about understanding the true burden of NCDs and their risk factors on our nation so that concrete steps can be taken to address the situation,” Dr Dikoloti said.
To keep track of their health, doctors recommend that males over the age of 40 need to check their blood cholesterol once a year. Women who are on the pill or other hormonal contraceptives need to have their blood
pressure checked once a year.
Men and women with their BMIs over 30 need to screen for diabetes every three years or more often depending on their risk analysis from their doctor. Every patient with high blood pressure needs to be screened for high blood cholesterol.
Women from the age of 21 years up to 65 years need to do cervical cancer screening every three or five years if HPV DNA test is also done.
In managing NCDs, medical experts also recommend physical activity. Physical activity does not need to be an hour in the gym lifting weights, but simple activities that are suitable like a 30-minute walk a day for five days a week is medically significant exercise.
