NCDs account for 70 per cent of mortalities

Muscat: Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) cause 70 per cent of mortality in Oman, which is a major figure and the four major NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases. Physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, increasing number of fast food joints, increase in the use of tobacco are the major risk factors we are suffering from, according to the Ministry of Health. These rates tend to increase unless we work on the prevention side, but thankfully in Oman, the services of management in asthma, hypertension, diabetes are integrated into primary care, according to the department for NCDs.

“Almost 70 per cent of mortalities happening in the country are from Non-Communicable Diseases and this is mainly due to lifestyle, addiction to technological gizmos and sedentary lifestyle,” Dr Shadha al Raisi, Director of NCDs told the Observer.

“Obesity among children is on the rise too. The prevalence of obese children was 12.3 per cent, whereas in 2017 it has gone to 15 per cent. Similarly, cases of Diabetes Mellitus (DM) among the younger population, predominantly below 30 years of age, is on the rise,” as per the recent annual report.

A forum on Non-Communicable Diseases Initiatives was organised by the Ministry of Health represented by the NCD Department in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Baxter company under the auspices of Dr Ali bin Talib al Hinai, Under-Secretary for Planning Affairs at the ministry and chairperson of Multi-Sectoral National Committee of Non-communicable Diseases.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is more than 35.5 per cent and is caused by physical inactivity. The percentage is 29.6 per cent for Omani men and increases to 48.5 per cent for women. As far as cardiovascular diseases (CVD) risk is concerned 4.9 per cent have a 10-year raised CVD risk of ≥30 per cent, (4.7 per cent Omanis and 5.4 per cent non-Omanis) while 5.7 per cent males and 4.1 per cent women have a 10-year raised CVD risk of ≥30 per cent.

“We have integrated the NCDs in primary care and will constantly see what can be applied to all governorates and try to gather as many stakeholders from a broad spectrum of the society for preventing non-communicable diseases at every possible level. We hope to have a plan to move towards our goals with this session,” said Dr Shadha.

Dr Asr Toson, UNFPA Representative of Sub-Regional Office for GCC states in Oman said that the rates of lifestyle diseases are quite high and GCC countries have the highest rate of incidence and it's getting higher.

“We are working hand in hand with the ministry for years to address this challenge and we, under the umbrella of the Target 3 of the SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) worldwide and with the rest of the UN agencies like the UN, advocate a healthy lifestyle among the youth and adolescents here,” Dr Asr Toson said.

Dr Said al Lamki, Director-General of Primary Health Care, reviewed the reality of non-communicable diseases in the Sultanate and the efforts exerted to combat them, both by treatment or raising awareness. “We are working with the relevant NGOs such as Omani Women’s Association, Y-Peers through whom we send out the messages of a healthy lifestyle, and results are promising,” Dr Toson added.