Sebokeng, 7 April 2002
GREETINGS
It is a great pleasure for me to celebrate this special day with you here in Sebokeng. I hope this day will mark the beginning of a new chapter in our daily activities, which will be characterised by participation in various physical activities that will improve our lives.
The theme for this year's World Health Day is Move for Health and it is aimed at promoting healthy, active and tobacco-free lifestyles and preventing diseases and disabilities caused by unhealthy and sedentary living.
In South Africa we have adopted a slogan - Health in Action - because we are convinced that by mobilising and joining together to make extra effort, we can improve the health of our nation. We believe that every individual has the power to take action for better health and communities, united in their effort, are a powerful force for a healthier world.
As we rise up to the challenge posed by major communicable diseases like Tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS, the tendency has been to neglect some of the major non-communicable that are major cause of death in our society. Non-communicable diseases are those diseases that are acquired over a period of time due to what people eat and how they live.
The World Health Organisation says non-communicable diseases contributed to almost 60% (31.7 million) of deaths in the world and 43% of the global burden of disease in 1998 alone. Based on the current trends, these diseases are expected to account for 73% of deaths and 60% of the disease burden in the year 2020.
It says that low and middle-income countries like South Africa suffer the greatest impact of non-communicable diseases. The rapid increase in these diseases disproportionately affects poor and disadvantaged populations and contributes to widening health gaps between and within countries. For example, in 1998, 77% of the total number of deaths caused by non-communicable diseases occurred in developing countries, and 85% of the burden of these diseases was borne by low- and middle-income countries.
The rapid rise of non-communicable diseases is threatening economic and social development as well as the lives and health of millions of people. It represents a major health challenge to global development in the coming century.
Four of the most prominent non-communicable diseases, which are cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes, are linked by common preventable risk factors related to lifestyle. These factors are tobacco use, an unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. Action to prevent these diseases should therefore focus on controlling the risk factors in an integrated manner.
We have taken major steps in controlling tobacco use in this country. We have passed the Tobacco Product Control Amendment Act to ensure that we protect especially non-smokers from harmful effects of tobacco smoke at the workplace and other public places. We are working on this legislation with the aim of closing certain loopholes and beefing up the fines.
As you know that this month is a Health month, we have decided to focus our campaign on food security, nutrition and health. We know that if we can make significant progress in this area we will be able to address many health problems including both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
Many people have moved to the cities and are buying refined convenient foods that contain too much salt, sugar and fat and not enough fibre, vitamins and minerals. They stop eating or eat less fresh fruit and vegetables. This change in the food intake of people increases the risk of lifestyle nutrition related diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
Good nutrition is not important only in preventing health problems, but it is a critical part of managing diseases among those who are already infected or sick. The effect of under-nutrition on tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, cancer and other chronically ill patients is that it creates the added effect of wasting (or losing weight), and consequently, a further suppression of the immune system. Most illnesses cause a loss of appetite and medication that needs to be taken may cause nausea. Both these factors lead to poorer food intake. Poor food intake reduces the level of nutrients in the body.
On the other hand, every new infection raises the need for energy and nutrients in the body. HIV and other infections destroy the lining of the stomach, thus affecting the ability of the gut to digest and absorb food.
To tackle these challenges, we have developed national Guidelines on Nutrition for People Living with TB, HIV/AIDS and other Chronic Debilitating Conditions. These guidelines give information on:
The answer to the challenge of poor nutrition and inadequate diet is to go back to what we used to do to support our families and grow our own vegetables and fruits. Growing vegetables and fruits can improve your family's diet, adding vital substances (nutrients) at a little cost. Studies have also shown that a high intake of vegetables and fruit reduces the risk of certain diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and constipation. Therefore, growing vegetables will mean protecting yourself and your family from such diseases. It is not necessary to have a large plot of land to grow vegetables - even small patches of ground can be used.
We also should participate actively in community structures that seek to solve nutrition problems such as community garden projects. These projects will increase our capacity from just producing vegetables and fruits for our own consumption, to bigger projects that have the potential to generate some cash for our households.
Maintaining your garden is one of moderate physical activities that you can do to improve and maintain good health. Being physically active helps to reduce stress and improve productivity. The minimum amount of physical activity required for prevention of diseases is just 30 minutes of moderate activity everyday.
The Department of Sport and Recreation is engaged in the Building for Sport and Recreation Programme, which is aimed at alleviating poverty through the creation of temporary and permanent employment in the construction and management of sport and recreational facilities. The programme also creates more opportunities for young people to participate in sport and other recreational activities.
Various local authorities are also building more and more sports and recreational facilities to ensure that young have the opportunity to participate in sports. Active participation in sport will discourage young people from unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, high level of alcohol consumption and substance abuse.
Sport is also well positioned as a key medium in the moral regeneration of our society, combating of crime and preventing other anti social behaviour. It is therefore important to extend and sustain campaigns aimed at mobilising mass-participation of young people in sport and recreational activities with in our communities.
Sports activities that are to take place today are not just a once off sport event that is organised by the Department of Health. We are working on a long-term physical activity programme that will focus on schools, workplaces and the communities.
We are convinced that mass mobilisation of our people to participate in various physical activities will have major health benefits. It will also save a large amount of resources spent on treating major illnesses caused by lack of physical activity.
So we say: Get moving, it could save your life.
Thank you