Doctors lament growing rate of diseases in Nigeria

The doctors, under the
aegis of Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), said the
increase in such non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and
hypertension in the country called for a change in the lifestyle of Nigerians.

The public health physicians raised the alarm in Ado Ekiti, the
Ekiti State capital, at the opening of the 33rd National Scientific Conference
and Annual General Meeting of their association, held at the Owolabi Hall of
Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).

At the conference with the theme: “Non-Communicable Disease
Burden: Health System Preparedness in Nigeria,” they said “there has been
growing burden of NCD and that the World Economic Forum has reported it as
leading macroeconomic risk at global level.”

Chairman of the Local Organising Committee of the Scientific
Conference, Dr. Olusegun Elegbede, said during the event that the change in
lifestyle of people and the economic recession were among the major culprit in
the rising cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

According to Dr Elegbede, “there is evidence that NCDs are
undermining the attainment of Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable
Development Goals.”

National Chairman of APHPN, Professor T.M. Akande, in his speech,
said “the conference offered another opportunity to network and rub minds on
burning public health issues in Nigeria and the strategies for advancing public
health practice in Nigeria.”