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UNIVERSITIES and tertiary institutions in Africa and Asia have been urged to prioritise training in the management and control of non-communicable diseases (diseases that are not contagious).

Local and international health experts are meeting in Kampala for the summit on chronic, non-communicable diseases for African and Asian countries like diabetes, cancer and heart ailments.
The experts demanded political commitment in dealing with the diseases.

“Doctors and public health professionals need to have community and people-centred training. That is how we can manage chronic diseases,” said Prof. William Doe, the provost of Aga Khan University.

The health ministry in Uganda is currently promoting village health teams as a means of taking health services closer to the communities.
Dr. James Sekajugo, the principle medical officer for

non-communicable diseases in the health ministry, said the Medical School at Makerere University was changing to problem-based training by shifting training out of the hospitals to the communities.

“This will help in identifying the critical health needs of the communities. The main challenge we face is that most people live with the diseases unknowingly. Early diagnosis is critical in managing them,” Sekajugo said.

Health state minister Dr. Richard Nduhuura and finance state minister Fred Omach said the Ugandan Government would prioritise the control non-communicable diseases.