Health ministry sets ambitious targets to end NCDs

Violet Nabatanzi
Journalist @New Vision
Jul 27, 2022

The Ministry of Health has set 95-95-95 ambitious targets to end Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).

This is aimed at screening 95% of the population to know their NCD status, 95% who are found with the condition to access care, and 95% of those who are on care to remain on treatment for the rest of their life.

The targets however are similar to those of the HIV programme. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS aims for HIV testing, treatment and viral suppression rates to be 95%--95%--95% by 2025.

Dr Julius Luyimbazi Executive Director Lubaga hospital interacting with Anthony Mwangi(right) after the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB)

Dr Julius Luyimbazi Executive Director Lubaga hospital interacting with Anthony Mwangi(right) after the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB)

Speaking during the launch of the Novartis -Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) programme, at Lubaga Hospital, Dr Charles Oyoo the commissioner for NCDs at the ministry of health said, since they are planning to integrate NCDs into the HIV programme, it was necessary for the two to move at the same level.

He revealed that the majority of people living with HIV/AIDs are also suffering from NCDs, a reason why they emphasised the integration of NCDs.

In Uganda 1 in 3 deaths are due to NCDs. Globally NCD accounts for about three deaths out of every five people. Oyoo said most of the people who succumbed to Covid-19 had comorbidity.

A comorbidity is a condition of having two or more diseases at the same time.

Dr Julius Luyimbaazi, executive director Lubaga hospital underscored the need for health workers to sensitise the population on how to prevent NCDs through changing their life style and diets saying that, information is very important than treatment because sometimes the management of these health conditions becomes very expensive once the diseases sets in.

The project aims at reducing the burden of sickle cell disease, epilepsy, common infectious childhood diseases like malaria and pneumonia in selected Catholic health network hospitals.

The National wide sickle cell survey 2014/2015 puts the National average of the sickle cell trait at about 13.3percent and the disease at about 0.7 per cent.

Ronald Kasyaba Deputy Executive Secretary Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) addressing participants during the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau

Ronald Kasyaba Deputy Executive Secretary Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) addressing participants during the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau

Dr Ronald Kasyaba, Assistant Executive Secretary UCMB said through the partnership they will focus on building the skills of health workers in the UCMB network.

‘’Once health workers are aware of the condition, then they will easily pass on the message to people they meet. We shall support them to go to communities to sensitize people about the prevention, early diagnosis, treatment and care of these conditions,’’ Kasyaba explained

The Catholic Church has 33 hospitals but the programme will focus on 21 hospitals. ‘’We are also passing these messages through the diocesan coordination offices to ensure that we get faith, religious leaders and other opinion leaders to talk about prevention of NCDs,’’ he said

The programme will also focus on health promotion and advocacy for the reduction of risk factors for NCD, antimicrobial resistance and childhood diseases in UCMB network health facilities and communities.

 Charles Oyoo Commissioner for NCD Ministry of health addressing participants during the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) at Lubaga hospital on July 21,2022.

Charles Oyoo Commissioner for NCD Ministry of health addressing participants during the launch of a partnership between Novartis and Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau (UCMB) at Lubaga hospital on July 21,2022.

Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death.

As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines become ineffective and infections become increasingly difficult or impossible to treat.

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