MOROCCO— The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) recently organized a high-level seminar in Casablanca, Morocco, focused on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs), injuries prevention and control, and mental health promotion.

The seminar brought together representatives from 40 African Union Member States, including their ministries of health, along with international partners such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa.

A key objective of the seminar was to discuss and support the development of a continental framework for the NCDs, Injuries, and Mental Health (NCDIMH) Leads’ Network for Member States. This framework was successfully validated and launched during the seminar.

The event served as a follow-up to the Africa CDC’s five-year strategy for NCDs, Injuries prevention and control, and Mental health promotion, which was adopted and launched in Addis Ababa in June 2022.

Through various sessions, the Africa CDC aimed to enhance the capacity of health departments and National Public Health Institutes (NPHIs) in addressing NCDs, injury prevention and control, and mental health promotion.

On behalf of H.E Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General of Africa CDC, Dr. Mohammed Abdulaziz emphasized the urgent and ongoing need to address NCDs and rebuild health systems based on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The choice of Morocco for the seminar was coincidental but significant, as the country has made remarkable progress in integrating NCDs into primary healthcare, developing the healthcare workforce, and locally manufacturing necessary health commodities for NCD control and mental health.

To facilitate knowledge exchange and showcase best practices, the Africa CDC organized field visits to prominent Moroccan healthcare institutions.

They included the National Institute of Oncology, the Paediatric Haematology and Oncology Centre in Rabat, and the Psychosocial Rehabilitation Centre in Casablanca, a leading center for mental health research and development.

Dr. Naouirou Mhadji, Director of Disease Control from the Ministry of Health in the Union of Comoros, expressed appreciation for the opportunity to learn from country experiences, scientific evidence, and field visits in Morocco.

He noted that the strategies and approaches shared during the seminar would enhance their response and national coordination efforts against NCDs and mental health challenges.

Senior public health officials responsible for NCDs, injuries, and mental health from the 55 African Union Member States will now establish a networking platform to facilitate experience sharing and collaboration.

The high-level meeting outlined future steps, including supporting peer reviews, developing national scorecards, and creating a regional scorecard.

These steps aim to engage Heads of State and Government in addressing the challenges and solutions for preventing and controlling NCDs, injuries, and mental ill-health in line with the continental strategy.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) Africa, the 2022 Non-communicable Disease Progress Monitor report highlights the increasing prevalence of NCDs such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes as the leading causes of mortality in sub-Saharan Africa.

These diseases accounted for 37% of deaths in 2019, rising from 24% in 2000 due to insufficient implementation of crucial control measures in prevention, diagnosis, and care.

The report also reveals that in seven other countries, mostly the most populous in Africa, NCDs claimed between 100,000 and 450,000 lives annually.

In addition to low physical activity and unhealthy diets, Africa is witnessing a rise in environmental pollution, smoking, alcohol, and substance use.

The continent faces a unique challenge with a significant proportion of its citizens experiencing a double burden of obesity and undernutrition compared to other regions of the world.

The underlying drivers of these risk factors lie beyond the health sector, encompassing Africa’s trade, labor, education, and transport systems.

Conflict and environmental instability further contribute to risks, particularly in the context of injuries and mental health.

Paradoxically, the progress report by Africa CDC on NCDs, injuries prevention and control, and mental health promotion highlights some successes in advocating for the prevention and management of NCDs, injuries, and mental health at national, regional, and partner levels.

However, it also underscores the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on NCD and injury prevention, as well as mental health, demonstrating the interrelated nature of these reinforcing epidemics.

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