Conclusion
Chronic NCDs is becoming a serious public health challenge in Africa, and the capacity to address and respond to NCDs in most African countries, particularly, the Gambia is very weak. Hence, African governments should appropriately respond, and be more committed through policy formulation and implementations, taking into account the primary and secondary interventions, consequent upon reliable data gathering processes through efficient surveillance systems.
Experts have advocated the need for multidisciplinary approach to research ranging from cultural, psychological, epidemiological, clinical and economic, as these will inform interventions that will cater for the need of the individual and communities with respect to risk factors and their outcomes [33]. Furthermore, scientific research into molecular basis of NCDs must not be neglected as it will also inform the pharmaco-therapeutics and preventive strategies. All these multidisciplinary research should however translate into interventions that are multi-sectoral and community-based. Africa's burden of chronic diseases must be addressed given the local context of the risk factors for chronic diseases and human and material resources constraints. Though, there are a few African countries that are heavily endowed with human and material resources which can be effectively channelled to combat the growing epidemic of NCDs, but the sincere political will and selfless leadership appear to be the missing links.
Furthermore, there is paucity of health workforce to cater for the fast growing need for chronic diseases care as well as dearth of medical products and technologies and infrastructural support for efficient and effective service delivery. In fact, evidence suggests decrease in government funding on health with proportionate increase in external health aids, particularly in low income countries [15,35]. This seems to encourage complacency on the part of the governments ("substitution effects" rather than "complementary effects") with respect to health care financing. Therefore, there is urgent need to increase investments on human and infrastructural capacity development, and efforts should be directed at preventing brain-drain being experienced in many African countries, by improving working and living conditions for health and allied professionals.
Finally, CBOs, FBOs and NGOs should not leave the control of NCDs in the hands of government alone as they have significant roles to play as seen in infectious diseases like HIV/AIDs and TB.
Conclusion
Chronic NCDs is becoming a serious public health challenge in Africa, and the capacity to address and respond to NCDs in most African countries, particularly, the Gambia is very weak. Hence, African governments should appropriately respond, and be more committed through policy formulation and implementations, taking into account the primary and secondary interventions, consequent upon reliable data gathering processes through efficient surveillance systems.
Experts have advocated the need for multidisciplinary approach to research ranging from cultural, psychological, epidemiological, clinical and economic, as these will inform interventions that will cater for the need of the individual and communities with respect to risk factors and their outcomes [33]. Furthermore, scientific research into molecular basis of NCDs must not be neglected as it will also inform the pharmaco-therapeutics and preventive strategies. All these multidisciplinary research should however translate into interventions that are multi-sectoral and community-based. Africa's burden of chronic diseases must be addressed given the local context of the risk factors for chronic diseases and human and material resources constraints. Though, there are a few African countries that are heavily endowed with human and material resources which can be effectively channelled to combat the growing epidemic of NCDs, but the sincere political will and selfless leadership appear to be the missing links.
Furthermore, there is paucity of health workforce to cater for the fast growing need for chronic diseases care as well as dearth of medical products and technologies and infrastructural support for efficient and effective service delivery. In fact, evidence suggests decrease in government funding on health with proportionate increase in external health aids, particularly in low income countries [15,35]. This seems to encourage complacency on the part of the governments ("substitution effects" rather than "complementary effects") with respect to health care financing. Therefore, there is urgent need to increase investments on human and infrastructural capacity development, and efforts should be directed at preventing brain-drain being experienced in many African countries, by improving working and living conditions for health and allied professionals.
Finally, CBOs, FBOs and NGOs should not leave the control of NCDs in the hands of government alone as they have significant roles to play as seen in infectious diseases like HIV/AIDs and TB.
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