By Amadou Jadama
The Director of Health Promotion and Education who is also the chairperson of the National Tobacco Control Committee has revealed that records show 34 percent of deaths in the Gambia are caused by non-communicable diseases of which tobacco use is a contributing factor.
He further revealed that over 8 million people globally lose their lives annually from tobacco use.
Michael Manga Mendy made these revelations during a press briefing organised by the Non Communicable Disease Unit of the Ministry of Health in partnership with various agencies at the Central Medical Stores in Kotu.
The aim is to inform the public about the latest enforcement measures of the 2016 Tobacco Act.
Briefing journalists, DG Mendy said NCDs are a major challenge of public health in the country, accounting for a substantial portion of death in the country and mobility.
“The risk factors, obesity, overweight and hypertension are risings showing a need for us to come collectively to implement our interventions so that we bring all these down to ensure a healthy nation. But one good thing about these diseases is that the main factors, are modifiable,” he said.
