Why I’m 74 without hypertension, diabetes

Museveni

Uganda President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has disclosed that he’s 74 years old without high blood pressure, diabetes and he wants the same for his people.

He made the weighty disclosure while speaking on July 14 at the 2nd National Day of Physical Activity which has been set aside for every second Sunday in July.

Under the theme, My Health, My Responsibility, he called on all Ugandans to take responsibility for their health by adopting healthy lifestyles.

He declared that the only way to live a long life is to eat healthily and exercise. He highlighted the growing threat of non-communicable diseases in the country, saying, “Ugandans are increasingly enjoying unhealthy lifestyles, and this is detrimental to the growth of the nation.”

He then decried alcohol and drug abuse. “Desist from taking drugs and alcohol because of the health-related issues they bring to the body. I'm 74 years old with no blood pressure or diabetes.”

The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, adopted his stance as well while speaking. “The commemoration of this day is symbolic for the importance of physical activity. Regular exercise should be part and parcel of your daily routine. 3.2% of Ugandans have diabetes. Those with heart diseases stand at 6%, 350 people out of every 100,000 have cancer and 8,000 new cancer cases are recorded annually.”

In order to prevent NCDs, she urged Ugandans to engage in physical activity in various forms that include dancing, cycling, jogging, brisk walking and digging.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Representative, Dr Yonas Tegegn Woldemariam, noted that NCDs are a growing public health problem. “To tackle them, looking into treatment won’t be the solution, it’s not financially sustainable. The best way is to prevent them.”

He further urged the public to change their lifestyles and “be moderate with alcohol, stop taking tobacco and decrease consumption of foods with high sugar. Physical activity will not only prevent NCDs but increase productivity.”

Dr Yonas also applauded President Museveni for recognizing NCDs as a national priority. “Uganda has set a very important and high standard globally by taking physical activity as a national event.”

The NDPA compliments other efforts to prevent and control the rising epidemic of NCDs in Uganda. It also provides an opportunity to sensitize the public on the importance of physical activity in their prevention.

The day was marked by a five-kilometre walk which started from Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala through to the Lugogo bypass and continued through Jinja Road, Wampewo Avenue Round-About and back to Kololo Independence Grounds.

Globally, NCDs including strokes, most heart diseases, most cancers, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cataracts, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, among others account for 68% of death.

80% of these deaths occur in low-and-middle-income countries including Uganda.

In Uganda, according to the Uganda NCD Survey, NCDs account for 40% of deaths and the trend is increasing. 1 in every 4 adults has high blood pressure, and 3 among 4 of those with high blood pressure do not know that they have it. In addition, 4,690 people died of diabetes in 2016 while 2 in 100 Ugandan adults have it.

In 2018, 21,829 people died of cancer while 32, 617 new cancer cases occurred in the same year.