Inaugural Lecture: Unilorin Professor Says Effective Implementation Of Policies‘ll Help Prevent Non-Communicable Diseases
Effective implementation of new government policies on various aspects of non-communicable diseases which are designed to promote healthy lifestyles such as regulations on tobacco and alcohol use, and initiatives to encourage physical activity and healthy eating will help to prevent the diseases in question, former Provost, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Professor Ayodele Babatunde Omotoso, has submitted.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Professor Ayodele Babatunde Omotoso said this while delivering his inaugural lecture at the Main Auditorium of the university last week.
It was University of Ilorin’s 272nd inaugural lecture and it was titled ‘Of The Heart, For The Heart and From The Heart: Communicating The Non- communicables Heartily’.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are products of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioural factors.
The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), cancers, chronic respiratory diseases (such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma) and diabetes.
Professor Ayodele Babatunde Omotoso listed behavioural risk factors of Non-Communicable Diseases that should be avoided to include unhealthy diet, physical inactivity: tobacco smoking and alcohol consumption.
He also said environmental and socio-economic factors have helped to ‘promote’ and increase the risk of NCDs.
‘ Rapid urbanization has led to lifestyle changes that increase the risk of NCDs. Poor urban planning often results in limited access to recreational spaces and healthy food options.
Poverty and limited access healthcare services exacerbate the risk of NCDs. Mary Nigerians lack access to essential health services, lending to late diagnoses and poor management of these diseases’ he said.
Omotosho, who emphasized the importance of early detection, and urged the University of Ilorin to institutionalize compulsory medical check-ups for all members of staff, also said access to healthcare services, particularly in underserved areas in order to ensure early detection and treatment of NCDs is very important.
He also expressed the need for government to launch a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the risk factors and prevention strategies for the NCDs while urging the government to allocate sufficient funding and resources to support NCDs prevention and control programmes, including research, healthcare infrastructure, and community initiatives.
Professor Omotosho also noted that extending National Health Insurance programmes to cover NCDs treatment would be a good step in the right direction while urging government to fund and support at least one tertiary health facility that can take care of complicated NCDs.
Stakeholders should also according to him encourage private companies to invest in health promotion activities and create workplace wellness programmes that will help to address risk factors of NCDs-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
