10 Nov 2022

Almost half of the deaths recorded in Botswana could have been avoided through adopting healthy lifestyles, says Dr Boago Tapela.

Addressing the media ahead of the 3rd Botswana global conference on non communicable diseases (NCDs), the event coordinator said NCDs were blamable for 46 per cent of the country’s deaths.

 Among the most prevalent NCDs were cancer, hypertension, heart diseases and diabetes which also had a bearing on mental health, Dr Tapela said.

Saying the diseases were a burden for the country, he said there was need for individuals, thought leaders, communities, societies, government, corporates, medical and scientific community to raise awareness, build knowledge and information on mental health and NCDs.

Dr Tapela, who is the founder of First Commence, a health promotion agency, added that alcohol and smoking  contributed to mental health problems.

For his part, Diagnofirm managing director, Dr Mohammed Chand said NCDs were the leading contributor to death and disability in the world.

Developing countries such as Botswana, he noted, were currently seeing a surge in NCDs as opposed to infectious diseases, which used to be the case.

Dr Chand said NCDs put a strain on health facilities and economic development.

He stressed the importance of early detection in preventing disease progression.

ICAS-Botswana training manager, Ms Agisanyang Sanoto said inadequate local social research was impacting on disease control.

Most of the research used in Botswana was adopted from other countries, she said.

Ms Sanoto said post COVID-19, there had been a lot of depression leading to social ills such as suicides and gender based violence hence the need for a multi-disciplinary approach to mental health.

Ministry of Health’s mental health coordinator, Mr Patrick Zibochwa, said mental health was the most ignored aspect of health both locally and globally.

He called on stakeholders to come together to start and sustain conversations on mental health.

The conference’s agenda includes defining mental health and conditions, epidemiology of mental health conditions and diseases, depression and access and availability of mental health services in Botswana.

Scheduled for November 16-17, the conference will also educate on mental health issues, share research findings, knowledge and innovations and steer cooperation within the health care sector. Ends