In this Issue:

1. Healthy Lifestyle

2. Strengthening Lab Database for Disease Surveillance

Introduction

Sierra Leone is faced with the double burden of communicable and Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs). Available hospital data indicate that in 2011 more cases of diabetes (352), hypertension (4207) and cardiovascular disease (284) were reported.

These diseases are strongly associated with common lifestyle risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, diets rich in fat, sugar and salt; and physical inactivity. If these risk factors are not prevented, the country will be faced with increased disease burden from non-communicable disease in the near future.

WHO Country Office Sierra Leone Newsletter, March-April 2012