Govt wary as NCDs march on

Makgato told Parliament recently that non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes were increasing in Botswana. She said these conditions were driven by risky lifestyle choices such as unhealthy diets, tobacco use, excessive alcohol consumption and physical inactivity.

“The burden of NCDs such as cardiovascular, cancers, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases still remains a concern in Botswana,” she said, when presenting her ministry’s 2016/17 budget to legislators. “In fact, NCDs now constitute an epidemic whose negative impact will surpass that of HIV and AIDS, TB and malaria combined.”