STOWELINK ATTENDS THE 6TH ANNUAL NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES CONFERENCE AT NAIROBI HOSPITAL 27/7/2019

On this day Stowelink attended and participated actively on the 6^th annual non-communicable diseases symposium/conference at the Nairobi hospital. The conference brough n board epxperts and passionate individuals in the field of non-communicable diseases to discuss how non-communicable diseases can be integrated into universal health coverage. The conference involved various presentations focusing on opportunities for inclusion of the non-communicable diseases agenda into universal health coverage while also shedding light on some cutting edge innovation and scientific milestones that have been able to be achieved at the Kenyan non-communicable diseases space!

Kenya in undergoing an epidemiological transition marked by a decline in morbidity and mortality due to communicable conditions, and an increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases (Non-communicable diseases), which include diseases such as diabetes, cancers, cardiovascular diseases and chronic respiratory infections.

Statistics from the World Health Organization paint a grim reality estimating the probability of a young person dying early from an NCD in Kenya at 18%. Non-communicable diseases have become a major public health concern with far reaching social and economic implications in terms of health care needs, lost productivity and premature deaths. Of greater concern however, is the prevalence and risk exposure for adolescents and young people below the age of 25. This particular age sets are vulnerable to the risky behaviors that include tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets stemming from the high consumption of processed foods.

With conferences and summits like this however its reassuring that we in this space we are not sleeping, we are working and our small efforts, discoveries and findings will go a long way in ensuring non-communicable diseases doesn’t reach a critical level in this country!