Ugandans have been warned that by living poor lifestyles, they are contributing to problems to their health, including high blood pressure and diabetes which could lead to chronic kidney disease.
“We have been telling you to eat healthy, reduce tobacco and alcohol but many don’t listen. Some of those simple things are extremely important. That is your first step of care. Your health is your responsibility. The constitution says government will provide health care but government is not going to prevent for you. It doesn’t hold your hand and take you to buy fast food.Government doesn’t hold your hand and give you that bottle or glass of Johnnie Walker. Your health is your responsibility,” the Minister for Health, Dr.Jane Ruth Aceng said.
She was on Friday speaking during the launch of AstraZeneca’s Healthy Heart Africa Programme as it expands ambition to tackle chronic kidney disease burden in Uganda.
Initially focused on hypertension, this expansion includes enhancing access to prevention and screening for CKD, particularly among at-risk populations such as those with hypertension and type-2 diabetes.
The global burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continues to increase.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) Country Disease Outlook Report 2023, 35% of total deaths in Uganda are due to non communicable diseases.
Uganda’s community prevalence of chronic kidney disease varies between 2% to 7%, with a significantly higher occurrence of up to 15% among individuals living with HIV or hypertension.
The incidence of kidney disease currently ranks among the top 10 causes of mortality. Among patients admitted with chronic kidney disease, the case fatality rate stands at 21%, rising to 51% among those with end-stage kidney disease, or End Stage Kidney Disease (ESKD).
The Health Minister warned that whereas Uganda is trying to start kidney transplant, it wont come cheap.
“ I must emphasize it will not be free. It is better to keep your kidneys and heart health.”
“Screening is crucial in ensuring early detection. When visiting a health facility for whatever reason, being it visiting a friend or taking care of a friend, don’t walk away without checking your blood pressure. If for whatever reason you pass near any health facility, have your blood pressure and sugar checked. If it is bad, sit down, ponder and do the needful. If it is okay, walk away determined to keep it that way,”Dr.Aceng added.
She said the expansion of the Healthy Heart Africa programme to address chronic kidney disease in Uganda is timely and represents a significant advancement in our nation’s healthcare landscape.
“Through strategic collaboration with AstraZeneca and the Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (UPMB) , we are steadfast in our commitment to improving access to high-quality healthcare services and fostering improved health outcomes for all Ugandans. Supported by concerted governmental efforts, we will redouble our endeavours to educate communities about hypertension symptoms and risk factors, underscoring the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles.”
Launched in 2014, Healthy Heart Africa was established to address the increasing burden of cardiovascular diseases in Africa.
In 2024, the programme expanded to target a broader range of non communicable diseases, including chronic kidney disease.
The programme aims to improve health outcomes, with a focus on increasing awareness of the symptoms and risks of hypertension and CKD; providing health education and access to early screening and treatment; and delivering training to healthcare providers.
This supports health system resilience by relieving the social and economic burden arising from late-stage treatment and care of cardiovascular and related diseases.
Deepak Arora, Country President of African Cluster at AstraZeneca described it as a new dawn in enhancing health care.
“ As the burden of chronic kidney disease continues to rise in sub-Saharan Africa, AstraZeneca remains committed to expanding the mission of Healthy Heart Africa to address this pressing health challenge. Our efforts in Uganda signify a pivotal step towards improving healthcare outcomes and combating the devastating impact of non-communicable diseases in the region.”
“Through this initiative, we aim to challenge conventional perspectives and advocate for healthcare policy reforms to elevate outcomes for all individuals affected by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), regardless of their demographic, geographic, or socio-economic circumstances.”
