With a growing middle class in Africa, diseases mostly associated with the urban and affluent societies in the Western world have slowly made their way into Africa. Diabetes, cancer, heart and respiratory diseases are reported to be the leading killer diseases by 2030.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), these diseases will become the leading cause of death across most regions of the world and in Africa more so. In 2012 at least 80 percent of the 38 million people that died of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were from developing countries.
Changing lifestyles across Africa which include eating unhealthy diets (foods high in fats, sugar or salt), using tobacco, harmful use of alcohol and physical inactivity are the contributing factors to the growth of these diseases.
The unhealthy lifestyle choices will lead to lifestyle diseases associated with high blood pressure, overweight, respiratory diseases, high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels.
According to the United Nations, Africa will be home to the world’s largest increase in NCD deaths over the next decade.
30% of all people in Africa have high blood pressure, prone to suffer from coronary heart diseases, stroke, renal or visual impairment or other related conditions.
“In Africa, NCDs are rising rapidly and are projected to exceed communicable, maternal, perinatal and nutritional diseases as the most common causes of death by 2030,” Dr. Oleg Chestnov, the assistant director-general for non-communicable diseases and mental health at WHO, told Africa Renewal.
