TITLE:
Sustaining Increase in Life Expectancy in Africa Requires Active Preventive Measures against Non-Communicable Diseases
AUTHORS:
Efosa K. Oghagbon, Lydia Giménez-Llort
KEYWORDS:
Life Expectancy, Developing Countries, Non-Communicable Diseases, Prevention, Community Role and Health System Review
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Preventive Medicine,
Vol.4 No.5,
May
15,
2014
ABSTRACT: It is projected that aged population (≥60 years) will continue to
increase globally, including in Africa. This is due to reduced population
growth, decreased fecundity and improved medical interventions; factors which
increase life expectancy. While this is typical for developed countries, it is
not the same for Africa and similar developing regions. In these regions, a
significant proportion of death is due to non-communicable diseases (NCD’s)
such as hypertension, cerebrovascular accident, coronary heart disease,
diabetes mellitus, chronic renal disease and cancer, among others. Rising
prevalence of NCD’s due mainly to western style diets and sedentary living is
made worse by inadequate nutrition education, high prevalence of low birth
weight, poor health services, lack of efficient tobacco control and deficient
planning of built environment. In order to halt the possible reduction in
life expectancy occasioned by NCD’s, efforts by the community, health planners
and governments in Africa to address relevant NCD’s, must be put in place. Suggested
measures are: nutrition education, regular community directed physical exercise,
improved environmental planning and development. Others are review of present
health service model, early detection, prevention and treatment of NCD’s,
including improved antenatal care to reduce low birth weights, and establishment
of policies and measures that decreased access to tobacco especially by women
of childbearing age. Africa and similar developing regions cannot fund the
health bill due to NCD’s and their complications;
hence it is important that this scourge is attended to with all seriousness.