Non-communicable diseases kill 119 daily
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says about 43 500 people died in Malawi of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) last year, meaning that 119 people die from the diseases daily.
According to the WHO NCDs Monitor 2022 report, this shows that NCDs account for 40 percent of all deaths annually, making them one of the largest causes of deaths in the country. The figure is an increase from 32 percent in the 2020 report when 38 900 people died the previous year.
Probability of premature mortality from NCDs stands at 23 percent now, up from 16 percent reported in the 2020 Monitor Report.
Major causes, according to the WHO report, include consumption of alcohol, tobacco, unhealthy diets, lack of drug therapy and lack of public education on NCDs.
On tobacco demand reduction measures, Malawi has partly fulfilled requirements of increased excise taxes and prices.
The report reads in part: [Malawi] is yet to introduce smoke-free policies, large graphic health warnings/plain packaging, bans on advertising, promotion and sponsorship and mass media campaigns.”
While on alcohol, the report says Malawi has restrictions on physical availability. However, it is yet to introduce “advertising bans or comprehensive restrictions and increased excise taxes.”
But WHO commended Malawi for coming up with guidelines for management of cancer and diabetes, and is being asked to introduce drug therapy or counselling to prevent heart attacks and strokes.
The Malawi Health Sector Strategic Plan (HSSP 2017-2022) acknowledges that NCDs are increasingly contributing to the burden of disease in Malawi.
The plan says NCDs are the second leading cause of deaths in adults after HIV and Aids in Malawi.
In an interview yesterday, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences epidemiology and public health professor Adamson Muula attributed high NCD cases to consumption of alcohol.
“Alcohol consumption is high, but with increased taxes, people will not be able to consume much and that will help on the NCD burden,” he said.
Society of Medical Doctors president Victor Mithi said a few approaches appear to be working against NCDs.
“The first is Integration of NCD care and HIV care. In this one, we are using same resources for HIV care to deal with NCD cases and same level of care is given and that improves NCD care with greater margin,” he said.
