On Tuesday, stakeholders at the 2024 Gatefield Health Summit urged for the implementation of policies aimed at increasing life expectancy in Nigeria and Africa. The summit, themed “Beyond 65: Preventing the Quiet Epidemic,” focused on the escalating crisis of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the region.
According to the World Health Organisation, NCDs are the leading cause of death and disability globally. In Africa, NCDs accounted for 37% of deaths in 2019, up from 24% in 2000. The five main NCDs are cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic lung illnesses, and mental health conditions.
The average Nigerian has a life expectancy of just 52 years, and the average African life expectancy is 64 years, significantly lower than in Europe, Japan, and Canada where life expectancy exceeds 80 years. This disparity highlights the urgent need for policy changes to address the crisis of premature deaths in Africa.
Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control, emphasized the importance of policy in mitigating the burden of NCDs. She stressed that policies must be influenced by strong arguments to effect the desired change. The former Executive Vice-Chairman of the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, Babatunde Irukera, called for a robust policy and structure that combines both physical and human infrastructure to ensure effective care.
Gatefield’s health strategy, unveiled during the summit, targets the prevention of NCDs through measures such as improving national diet, reducing tobacco use, promoting daily physical activity, and advocating for policies to reduce emissions and protect public health. The strategy also emphasizes the need for community-driven mental health interventions and early detection of NCDs at primary health care centers.
Stakeholders agreed that there is a lack of adequate awareness about NCDs and a need to push for greater awareness and policy changes to address this silent pandemic across Africa. The summit aimed to address these issues and work towards increasing life expectancy in Nigeria and Africa to match global standards.
