BY DELISA THWALA
MBABANE – The Government through the Ministry of Health continues to embark on beneficial exercises and workshops.
Today the Ministry of Health under the department of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) launched a week-long workshop where they are going to train 40 nurses.
Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as heart disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes, are the leading cause of death worldwide and represent an emerging global health threat.
Meanwhile NCDS Vusi Shabangu said evidence showed that NCDs and their risk factors increase the likelihood of hospitalisation or death from across all age groups, a stark reminder of the role of NCDs in outbreak preparedness and response.
“NCDs can affect vulnerability to illness, pathogen performance, and the ability of health systems to handle health threats. High rates of NCDs perpetuate poverty, strain economic development, and burden fragile health systems, making countries less resilient when emergencies like infectious disease outbreaks or natural disasters occur,” he said.
He said the main purpose of the training was to help and equip health care workers with the right tools when dealing with the diseases.
“Integrating noncommunicable diseases in global health security approaches is important to addressing emergencies and ongoing health needs, increasing health equity, and building trust among partners,” said Shabangu.
Worth mentioning is that addressing NCDs enhances global economic and health security and supports progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Countries with healthier populations are more stable and prosperous, more viable trading partners, better able to avoid health crises and outbreaks.
