Kampala, Uganda – The World Health Group’s Regional Order of business for Africa (WHO AFRO) has conducted a 5-day ability-building workshop in Uganda from 14-18 October 2024 to empower 40 representatives from authorities, civil society, and academia from Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Tanzania, and Uganda. The intention used to be to enhance efforts in implementing policies that promote more healthy diets and physical process to prevent obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
The rising charges of obesity and NCDs in the African Dwelling remains a main public effectively being inform. Efforts to scale up reduction of the threat factors of increased consumption of nutrient sad and vitality dense meals and inadequate physical process non-public fueled the upward thrust in obesity and related NCDs in the African Dwelling. For instance, between 2000 and 2016, the percentage of overweight and overweight adults increased from 28.4% to 41.7%. Furthermore, amongst youngsters customary 5–19, obesity increased very much in the course of the continent and by 2016, 28% of overweight youngsters worldwide lived in Africa. In 2019, NCDs accounted for 37% of deaths in the distance, when compared to 24% in 2000.
“To combat this growing effectively being crisis, WHO AFRO is committed to supporting Member States in implementing evidence-based policies that promote more healthy existence,” said Dr. Charles Njuguna, the Acting WHO Nation Representative to Uganda.
“The ongoing training, which is phase of the Global Regulatory & Fiscal Ability Building Programme (Global RECAP) aims to beef up regulatory frameworks, promote evidence-based policies, and enhance study on NCD prevention.” Dr Laetitia Ouedraogo Nikiema, Regional Advisor, Diet and Food Safety.
The training is conducted by World Health organization in collaboration with the International Building Laws Group (IDLO) and the International Building Research Heart (IDRC), with funding from the Swiss Agency for Building and Cooperation and the European Union.
Participants are engaged in professional-led discussions, nation displays, and group works, addressing key coverage areas similar to restricting meals marketing to youngsters, taxing sugary drinks, front-of-pack vitamin labelling, reformulating products to decrease salt, sugar, and fat, and promoting physical process in faculties and communities.
“This match has been highly informative and priceless. This could per chance very much reduction us in the conceptualization and implementation of the meeting’s tricks on growth of the Diet Setting to inform wholesome meals choices for the oldsters in Uganda,” said Mr. Ivan Arinda Kato, Medical Officer NCDs, Ministry of Health.
The workshop has enhanced the capacity of participating countries to develop and implement robust regulatory and fiscal policies, equipping them with concrete action plans to strengthen their fight against NCDs. It also fostered regional collaboration and experience-sharing, promoting a unified, multisectoral approach to tackling NCDs in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
