May 2020 DailyNation; Non-communicable diseases were the underlying common factor among those who have died of Covid-19 in Mombasa. According to data seen by the Saturday Nation, at least 26 of the 32 people who succumbed to the virus in Mombasa had diabetes, hypertension, asthma and heart-related diseases. The revelation …
Read More »KENYA: The weight of our nation: How roadside chapatis are slowly killing Kenyans
July 2019 theStar;In 2010, humanity passed an important milestone. Obesity became a bigger public health problem than hunger. One hungry child is still one too many. Eradicating hunger remains a priority. But the rising rates of obesity and diabetes can no longer be ignored. A recent review by the Ministry …
Read More »WHO: Kenya road deaths four times higher than NTSA reported
December 2018 Daily nation;The World Health Organization’s new global survey of road safety reports that 13,463 Kenyans died last year in crashes on the country’s roads — a toll more than four times higher than the government’s figure of 2,965 deaths. The rate of road traffic deaths in Kenya far …
Read More »Nearly half of Americans now have high blood pressure, based on new guidelines
November 2017 cnn; Tens of millions more Americans now have high blood pressure. Almost half of all Americans — 46% — are now considered to be in the high blood pressure category based on new guidelines released Monday. High blood pressure should be treated at 130/80 rather than 140/90, according …
Read More »Factbox-Obesity Medical Bill Could “Reach $1.2 Trillion” a Year By 2025
October 2017 Reuters; Obesity worldwide is escalating and without urgent action to prevent and treat it, the annual medical bill for dealing with its consequences could reach $1.2 trillion by 2025, the World Obesity Federation said ahead of World Obesity Day on Wednesday. Here are some facts about the rising …
Read More »KENYA: Mission for Essential Drugs sets up Sh12m cold room for diabetes medicines
May 2017 BusinessDaily; Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies (Meds) has set up a Sh12million cold room for diabetes drugs. Unveiled last Friday in partnership with Novo Nordisk, a global healthcare fir, it will help improve and increase stocking of insulin. Meds managing director Paschal Manyuru, said the medical commodity …
Read More »SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa plans to fight obesity with a sugar tax
March 2017 cnn; The South African government is planning to implement a sugar tax to help curb the country’s growing obesity epidemic. The problem reflects the global increase in obesity and overweight rates across developing countries, surpassing the rate of obesity in developed states. The number of overweight and obese …
Read More »ETHIOPIA: ‘No Smoking!’ Sign Unheeded
January 2017 TheEthiopianHerald; Walking around, ironic as it may sound you might have seen someone smoking leaning on the billboard indicating ‘No Smoking!’ Warning. Some smokers may not also care about others while walking puffing on crowded pedestrian walks. Citizens too lack the gut to tell the smoker upfront not …
Read More »Weekend exercise alone ‘has significant health benefits’
January 2017 BBCHealth; Cramming all your recommended weekly exercise into one or two weekend sessions is enough to produce important health benefits, a study suggests. And being active without managing 150 minutes of moderate activity a week was still enough to reduce the risk of an early death by a …
Read More »Regional Health Forum Participants Call for New Measures to Reduce Harmful Non-Communicable Diseases Across Africa and the Middle East
October 2016 amediaagency; Scientists, healthcare providers, policymakers and private sector companies met in Dubai for the first ever Middle East and Africa (MEA) Health Forum on ‘Harm Reduction for Healthier Societies’. With a focus on obesity and tobacco, participants at the inaugural forum considered some of the major developments and transformative innovations being adopted …
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