Monrovia – The Ministry of Health (MOH) through its Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDIs) Division has ended a three-day forum with lines ministries, development partners, and civil society organizations at the Bella Casa Hotel in Monrovia.
The forum was aimed at finding ways to reduce the number of people getting infected with diseases and the increase in injuries in the country.
Health experts including civil society at the forum were able to design plans that gear toward transforming Liberia’s non-communicable diseases and injuries Division at the Ministry of Health.
During the interactive forum, medical experts threw the spotlight and sharpened participants’ knowledge about the harmful effects of non-communicable diseases and injuries and the socioeconomic effects on ordinary Liberian lives.
Speaking during the start of the three-day forum, the Chief Medical Officer of Liberia Dr. Francis Kateh said as a country, the non-communicable disease is something that should not be overlooked.
Dr. Kateh urged participants to go back to their various localities after the forum and become ambassadors to their fellow citizens.
“It is important that we are now beginning to speak about non-communicable diseases. We need to tell our story about it. Today, many of us walk around and we could have a little head arc and say I am alright –forgetting that you could have blood pressure. And if you do not take note and seek medical attention it could become a deathtrap for you in few days or few hours,” Dr. Kateh said.
Also speaking, the Head of NCDI Madam Angela Benson said the Commission is structured in a way to be able to achieve its deliverables -that is, to reduce the disease burden of NCDI in Liberia.
“The commissioner is expected to break new grounds to achieve its purpose, Madam Benson said.
Also, Zoe Doe, Deputy Program Director of NCDI said Non-communicable disease is known as the fourth highest global risk in terms of potential severity in loss to the economy and loss of life.
“Statistics shows an increasing trend in developing countries due to increasing population size, aging population, increasing globalization, and increasing trend of unhealthy lifestyles,” Madam Doe said.
“By 2020 NCDs will account for 80 percent of the global burden of disease and causing seven out of every 10 deaths in developing countries, compared with less than half today”, she ended.
Also at the forum, diabetes, and cancer were at the center stage of the panelists’ discussion, giving its negative impact on lives throughout the Country.
Dennis Kamba, Diabetes Coordinator, NCDs Division at the Ministry of Health said healthy diet, physical activity, and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay diabetes.
“Diabetes is a major cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart attack, stroke, and lower limb amputation. Also, diabetes can be treated and its consequences avoided or delayed with medication, regular screening, and treatment for complications,” Kamba said.
Also at the end of the three-day forum, NCDI was able to strengthen partnership with civil society organizations, setup its provision of a local site for NCDIs response, and monitoring NCDIs working -something that poses to shift the paradigm of the Country’s NCDIs response.