By Victor Okoye
Abuja, Aug. 29, 2024 (NAN) Some stakeholders in the health and sports sector have harped on the reduction of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) through the introduction and implementation of physical fitness exercises at the grassroots in the country.
This was the main thrust at a one-day stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting by the International Federation of Fitness and Body Building (IFBB) and the Ministry of Health on Thursday in Abuja.
Some stakeholders who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the event said that there was a need to get all stakeholders involved in awareness creation about NCDs.
They said this would help drive and support the process of behavioural change towards reducing NCDs in Nigeria through the implementation of physical fitness and body building exercises.
Soye Elekima, the IFBB President in Nigeria, said that everyone must begin to see fitness as a necessity rather than an optional routine.
Elekima said NCDs were heart-related, hence the need for physical fitness which would help boost the body’s immune system.
He noted that the rate of NCD related deaths were alarming and becoming rampant in Nigeria, adding that statistics show that at least one member out of each family was suffering from NCDs.
“The more we ignore it, the more the number of cases keep increasing and the more there is going to be a serious problem.
“This is the time to make sure we get involved in fitness to be able to prevent avoidable deaths such as arthritis, emotional breakdown, heart attack and some of these diseases that have bedeviled the country.
“This is the time we need to say no to NCDs and yes to fitness. This message is not just to people at the grassroots but also to those in the formal and informal sectors, including President Bola Tinubu.
“Indeed it starts with the president as he needs to lead the country to a healthy place and that is why we want him to play a vital role during our planned Independence Day Patriotic Workout Session,” he said.
He also said that the IFBB and Ministry of Health had budgeted about N673 million for a proposed Nigeria 30×30 fitness challenge and IFBB NCD Award which is expected to run from Oct. 1 to Oct. 30.
He noted that the award categories would include; the fittest celebrity, fittest clergy, fittest politician, fittest Super cook and the fittest business tycoon in Nigeria.
The IFBB President in Nigeria, added that the Mr Universe Abuja Challenge would be held from Oct. 4 to Oct. 6, 2024.
Dr Chukwuma Anyaike, the Director/Head of Department of Public Health in the Ministry of Health said NCDs were the leading cause of disability and death globally.
Anyaike who was represented by Malau Toma, a Deputy director in the ministry, stressed that NCDs affect the highly productive population, thereby posing a huge socio-economic burden and consequently undermining national development.
He said there was therefore the urgent need for the prevention and control of NCD through strengthening collaboration across various sectors to achieve improved health quality outcome for all Nigerians.
“NCDs represent a significant public health challenge in Nigeria, accounting for approximately 29 per cent of annual deaths, which equates to about 447,000 lives lost each year.
“Major NCDs in Nigeria include; cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, cancers, sickle cell diseases and mental health disorders, amongst others.
“The unhealthy lifestyle include; physical inactivity, consumption of unhealthy diets, tobacco use and alcohol consumption.
“This meeting will therefore foster collaboration of relevant stakeholders to plan towards the 30×30 activity, and there will also be an Award presentation to ambassadors on Oct. 5,” he said.
Dr Dorothy Amadi, Deputy director, NCD Division Department of Public Health also in the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, revealed that hypertension was the number one killer of Nigerians.
Amadi said that hypertension accounted for the highest prevalence rate with 31.2 percent, followed by stroke with 29.9 percent.
“The third on the list is hypertensive heart disease with 27.6 percent, followed by breast cancer (26.0 percent), prostate cancer (12.5 percent), and cervical cancer (11.4 percent),” she said.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
