By Muhammad Amaan
The Federal Government of Nigeria has launched four policy documents aimed at addressing the rising burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria.
The documents were launched in Abuja on Thursday by Coordinating Minister of health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate.
The theme of the launch is, “Revitalising NCDs Prevention and Control in Nigeria-Strengthening Multi-sectoral Collaboration.”
They include the National Policy for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, National NCD Task-Shifting and Task-Sharing (NTSTS) Policy and the National Guideline for the Prevention and Management of Hypertension.
Others are the National Tobacco Control Strategic Plan of Action (2024 – 2028), Newsletter for People Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs) and the Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette – Fats, Oils, and Food Containing Fats and Oils Regulations 2022.
The growing prevalence of NCDs in Nigeria is driven by risk factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobaccos use and harmful use of alcohol, with other risk factors being hereditary and environmental factors.
According to Pate, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ms Daju Kachollom, NCDs including cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, sickle cell disease, and mental health disorders, pose a severe threat to public health in Nigeria.
“These conditions account for 27 per cent of all annual deaths in our country, equating to approximately 447,800 lives lost each year.
“Many of these deaths are premature, occurring between the ages of 30 and 70, highlighting the urgency of our intervention.
“These challenges are exacerbated by demographic and epidemiological transitions, as well as the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles such as tobacco use, alcohol consumption, poor diets, and physical inactivity.”
He, however, noted that the majority of NCD risk factors are preventable.
Pate said that the launch of the documents was a crucial step in the nation’s journey towards a healthier future.
He added that they were not just guidelines; but instruments of change that would shape the nation’s healthcare practices and policies for years to come.
He assured that the Federal Government would continue to prioritise effective implementation of the policies, ensuring that its efforts translate into tangible improvements in the health and well-being of all Nigerians.
The Country Representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Walter Mulombo, said that NCDs are now the world’s biggest killers with Low-and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) bearing most of the brunt of these diseases.
According to him, each year, 17 million people die from NCDs before the age of 70 years, with an estimated 86 per cent of premature deaths occurring in LMICs.
“These NCDs, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and mental health share common risk factors with tobacco use being the most important risk factor.
“In Nigeria, NCDs are responsible for 29 per cent of all deaths with cardiovascular diseases accounting for the highest mortality.”
Mulombo added that the documents being launched would contribute greatly to the ongoing work on preventing and controlling NCDs in Nigeria.
He, however, said that the organisation, in collaboration with the ministry and National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) would be conducting its second round of Global Adult Tobacco Survey.
Mrs Nanlop Ogbureke, the Executive Director, Resolve to Save Lives, advocated for more funding for NCDs, adding that over time, infectious diseases have been the main focus, de-prioritising NCDs.
According to her, not much investment, especially funding has gone into NCDs, making collaboration to contribute to the prevention and control of NCDs in the country very important.
Ogbureke said that there was high impact of NCDs such as health care costs, decreased quality of life, poverty, and reduced mortality and productivity.
