Banjul, 15 July 2016 - As part of its advocacy efforts to promote and strengthen partnership for health development, WHO Gambia Country Office in collaboration with the Ministry of Health recently engaged a local Church to discuss noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and their risk actors. 

The WHO Representative, Dr. Charles SAGOE-MOSES gave a talk on the growing burden of NCDs on populations around the world and in the Gambia in particular. He told the congregation that NCDs are life style diseases that can be prevented if we all work together to address their risk factors – unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco.

The activity was not restricted to a mere lecture but it provided an opportunity for the audience to discuss extensively the risk factors and how they can be tackled. Before discussions began, the 55 participants present at the event volunteered to test their blood sugar level, blood pressure and body mass index with the support of the local health team. Results show that 29% of the participants had high pressure level; 65% had high blood sugar level and 45% had BMI greater than 25 Kg/m2.

These results were shared with the participants, which enlivened the discussions and served as an eye opener for participants to do voluntary screening regularly.

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For more details, please contact: Mr. Momodou Gassama, Health Promotion Officer, gassamam [at] gm.afro.who.int (gassamam[at]gm[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)—(+220)- 4462286 Mr. George. Williams, Health Information Assistant, williamsg [at] gm.afro.who.int (williamsg[at]gm[dot]afro[dot]who[dot]int)—(+220) 4462284