Minister hits right notes in statement on non-communicable diseases

Three weeks ago, the minister of Health, Dr. Ruth Aceng was in Parliament with a statement on the nation’s state of health documenting the rise in non-communicable diseases.
The incidence of cancer is already well documented. All sorts of cancers are on the rise; of the bone, blood, reproductive tract, digestive system and respiratory system.
The minister’s statement also touched on rise in other chronic illnesses, diabetes, hypertension, high blood pressure which require costly treatment. She may have added incidental conditions where one condition attacks different organs of the body. She may have missed a major aspect of public health; the connection between lifestyle changes and the rise in non-communicable diseases.
Many countries have been reluctant to discuss the potential connection between vaccines and contraceptives with some of these fatal conditions. Some of the deadliest cancers with very low survival rates, such as colon or pancreatic cancer, are difficult to diagnose and manage clinically. Most often, diagnoses come late in the cycle of the disease.

The minister did mention a few aspects of how Ugandans are punishing their bodies enjoying sugary and fuzzy drinks, which affect oral and physical health.
Soft fuzzy drinks are relatively cheap; a 350 ml of pop is half the price of a 350 ml of fruit concentrate, which again is half the price of a glass of fresh juice. At the high end, the price difference is bigger as ready-made juice carries significant costs associated with boiling, storing and handling water.
The minister could have added the per capita increase in consumption of cooking oil is another problem behind the rise of cholesterol in diets.

Cooking oil is now a necessity in many homes because genetically modified foods require the cooking oil for taste. Rolex, the popular snack, is the epitome of the cooking oil crisis. The beans are refried every day to keep the taste (Mexicans let their beans intentionally go bad); the egg shell is fried rather than boiled and the chapatti is also fried separately. So, at one sitting the consumer is eating three or four different fried foods, a clear warning to the spike in heart conditions.
Many supermarkets and markets carry relatively healthy foods and greens but the variety is shrinking. The high cost of power limits their shelf life and makes supply of fresh food unreliable.
Unscrupulous traders in Kampala are known to adulterate milk and meat with illegal preservatives—some of which are toxic for the human body including preservation materials for dead bodies. Fresh milk is interfered with to give a false image of freshness to prevent it going bad, yet the colour of natural milk tends more to yellow than white.

The minister’s statements for better self-diagnosis may fall to how well Uganda’s creaky health infrastructure functions. But a recurring theme in her statement was most of these diseases had an element of food and pointed to the absence of food regulation.
Longer working hours and traffic have increased demand for processed food. Many countries restrict ability of supermarkets to process food onsite accomplished to avoid food items going bad. The food comes into the consumption chain just short of rotting. In the delis, supermarkets have absorbed all unhealthy cooking habits—in effect, passing on poison to consumers.

The most popular abuses of deep fat cooking oil are in fried chicken and meats. This section must be strictly supervised to ensure only fresh food heads to the frying pan.
Supermarkets have entered the bakery business stacking bread baked on site. In 2017, a 1kg of bread has jumped from Shs3,500 to Shs5,000 depressing turnover. Supermarkets are wary of losing money in a high cost centre like bread where prices of major ingredients—wheat flour, sugar and oil—are rising. This encourages shelving bread that is very close to spoilage transferring the most deadly mildews and other toxins in the human chain.
There are many things Parliament can do to embolden the Minister’s message.
Mr Ssemogerere is an Attorney-at-Law and an Advocate. [email protected]