Africa-Press – Botswana. Batswana have been implored to incorporate traditional and indigenous foods, fruits and vegetables in their diet as they have proved to be healthier than the genetically modified type.
Foods such as sorghum and the likes of thepe and rothwe (both wild green vegetables) should not be overlooked as they had high nutritional value.
Speaking at a SADC healthy lifestyle commemoration day in Kazungula on Friday, Chobe MP, Mr Machana Shamukuni said fruits that were readily available in the wild should not be taken for granted.
On the day’s theme, Risk factors of today are diseases of tomorrow, walk the talk, beat NCDs (non communicable diseases), the MP said it was a reminder that the diseases were an ever present problem that was difficult to diagnose.
“These diseases are silent killers, by the time they present symptoms they would have been long in the system so it is upon us to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eliminating habits that may be catalytic to causing NCDs like tobacco, alcohol abuse, poor diet and lack of exercise,” he said.
Mr Shamukuni, also justice minister, said cardiovascular and chronic respiratory diseases, cancer as well as diabetes were the leading causes of death globally killing 41 million people mostly from low and middle income countries such as Botswana.
The diseases had also resulted in the reduction of life expectancy globally, he said.
He pointed out that fighting NCDs was a global call which was why SADC saw it fit to come up with the healthy lifestyle initiative in order to raise awareness about the diseases.
WHO Botswana representative Dr Josephine Namboze said the commemoration was in line with her organisation’s objective of promoting good health.
She acknowledged the SADC Health Ministers Committee’s efforts towards the attainment of healthy people as well as those of Botswana’s National Aids and Health Promotion Agency in the fight against NCDs.
Dr Namboze said NCD’s accounted for 74 per cent of deaths worldwide hence the need to expedite fighting them.
She said although Botswana’s life expectancy had improved over the past 10 years from 58 to 62, only 53 were considered healthy years as people lived with diseases, mostly NCDs.
Chobe District Heath Management Team coordinator Ms Rose Munyere said the day was a reminder that NCDs were a major concern not just for Botswana but globally.
She encouraged the public to adopt healthy lifestyles such as exercising regularly to maintain physical fitness.
Ms Munyere said it was fitting that the day was commemorated on the eve of the Kazungula Bridge Marathon .
It was upon every individual to adopt a lifestyle free from hazardous habits such as alcohol abuse, tobacco intake and indulging in unprotected sex.
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