Recognizing the growing threat of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the NCCK has advocated for the inclusion of nutrition studies within Kenya’s educational curriculum.
In a press conference on Friday, the NCCK urged the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to integrate and evaluate nutrition within student assessments, arguing that a nutrition-conscious society would cut healthcare costs by more than half.
To further promote nutritional awareness, the Council announced that churches throughout the country would host educational forums for their members and the wider community.
The Council also called on the government to regulate the advertising of unhealthy foods, particularly those high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats aimed at children, and specifically ban the use of child-like characters in these ads, stressing that advertisements for these unhealthy products should be prohibited during watershed hours, when children were most likely watching media.
Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data shows that NCDs are the cause of 31 percent of deaths and over 50 percent of hospital admissions.
Delegates who took part in the survey selected from the six counties noted the annual cost of outpatient care for an NCD patient was close to Sh150,000 annually.
To combat the growing NCD crisis, the Council implored Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to declare it a national disaster and implement protective frameworks.
They advocated for front-of-pack warning labels on processed foods to inform consumers about unhealthy ingredients, stressing the need to safeguard our citizens from the lifelong consequences of diet-related non-communicable diseases.
The NCCK also urged the Ministry of Health to acknowledge the emergency status of NCDs, given their 27 percent prevalence rate, and address their immense strain on household and national healthcare.
By Hellen Lunalo
