Tanzania Non Communicable Disease Alliance (TANCDA) Chairman Prof Andrew Swai said at a two-day seminar to students at Morogoro Teachers College that teachers can easily pass the knowledge to the next generation on how to avoid the diseases.
“The 2012 findings show that nine people in every 100 people at the age of 25 and above have diabetes 26 have blood pressure, 25 have cholesterol and 34 obesity,” he said. He added, “It is projected that by 2020, non-communicable diseases will cause deaths to over 73 per cent of all deaths in the world.”
He said the objective of the seminar is to prepare students undergoing teaching programme to have clear and correct knowledge on non-communicable diseases when they go to work place and educate students.
TANCDA has organised the two-day seminar on non-communicable disease to Morogoro Teachers College (MTC). During the seminar, TANCDA provided free diagnosis and counseling on the diseases to over 1,200 students.
The same seminar was carried in Korogwe Teachers College last month and has been very attractive to students. According to findings of the researches in Tanzania and other parts of the world. Non-communicable diseases are on the increase, killing many people than communicable diseases.
“TANCDA has embarked on provision of education on these diseases to teachers who will impart knowledge to their pupils to ensure that the threat caused by deadly diseases is combatted,” he said.
With this awareness creation, it will be possible to protect people dying from non-communicable diseases. Most of the diseases are chronic thus protecting oneself and curbing them can save the society.
There are four main types of non-communicable diseases cardio-vascular like heart attacks and stroke, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases like chronic obstructed pulmonary disease, asthma and diabetes.
NCDs are now the leading cause of death in most regions of the world, accounting for up to 70 per cent of all deaths worldwide.
Prof Swai said things to be done to avoid obesity are namely making exercises, moderate use of salt in food, sugar in tea, more eating of fruits and vegetables and avoiding uses of tobacco.
Various findings show that in 1999, non-communicable diseases contributed about 60 per cent of death in the world.
Also, the findings show that the diseases contributed 43 per cent of the extent of the problem of non-communicable diseases in the world.