Sante-Éducation warns of the threat of Non-Communicable Diseases

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Extract from the article: Togo is under threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These are the findings of the STEPS Togo 2021 survey on risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the results of the 2010 STEPS survey, a total of 15.4% of Togolese wer

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Togo is under threat from non-communicable diseases (NCDs). These are the findings of the STEPS Togo 2021 survey on risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). According to the results of the 2010 STEPS survey, a total of 15.4% of Togolese were overweight. The prevalence of obesity was 6.2%. In 2021, 30.8% of Togolese are overweight. This represents an increase of 15.4% (double) compared with 2010. As for obesity, 11.7% of adults in Togo are obese, an increase of 5.5% on 2010. The prevalence of hypertension in 2010 was 19%. The prevalence of hypertension according to the STEPS 2021 survey is 27.4%, an increase of 8.4%. In 2010, the prevalence of diabetes was 2.6%. In 2021, it will be 5%, an increase of 2.4% compared with 2010. The STEPS Togo 2021 survey once again confirmed that non-communicable diseases are a major public health challenge in Togo. To put it plainly, all the figures have risen in Togo. People are falling ill.

Aware of the phenomenon, Santé-Education, the main body promoting health through the media in Togo, has sounded the alarm about the danger of NCDs to Togo's well-being and development, calling for urgent and concerted action at national level. This was made at a press conference held on Tuesday 03 December 2024 in Lomé.

«This survey has once again confirmed that non-communicable diseases are a major public health challenge in Togo.We are sounding the alarm for Togo's leading authorities, the population, the media, government institutions and international health institutions.When you analyse the results of this survey, you get the impression that a large proportion of the Togolese population is ill.Compared with the 2010 survey, the figures have risen sharply, which is very bad for the country's development.If we take hypertension as an example, in 2010, 19% of Togolese were found to be hypertensive.In 2021, the results show that more than 27% of Togolese have high blood pressure.So more than twice as many Togolese have high blood pressure.This is very serious for the future of the country.We need to take action», said Gadiel Tsonyadzi, Director of Health and Education Development.

The increase in NCDs has dramatic consequences not only for individuals but also for public health systems.Treating these diseases is costly because of the need for long-term medical treatment and hospitalisation. Faced with the increase in NCDs, it is imperative to put in place comprehensive prevention strategies.To this end, Health-Education has formulated recommendations that can help reduce the risk factors for NCDs. These include organising a major emergency multi-sectoral meeting on the fight against NCDs in Togo under the aegis of the Ministry of Health (NCD Surveillance Division), adopting a 2025-2030 action plan to combat NCDs at this emergency meeting, making the media the spearhead of the fight against NCDs in Togo, and raising awareness among the population to make the effort to respect healthy lifestyle measures.

Elom AKAKPO