Health Department urges screening for preventable NCDs

The National Health Department has urged South Africans to screen for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD), saying they are preventable.
It says the diseases are responsible for close to 60% of all deaths in the country.
The department has warned of the rising rate of mortality from cardiovascular diseases, including cancer and chronic respiratory conditions.
The department’s Caroline Mongale says, “These are medical conditions that are chronic and develop very slowly over time. People may live with high blood pressure for years without knowing. They are not infectious, as they can’t be passed to the next person. They are now responsible for more deaths in SA than communicable diseases. I must say also, as a country, we are still dealing with communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS and TB; maternal health challenges; high levels of injury and violence; and now, at the same time, non-communicable diseases, including mental health challenges. It’s really concerning these deaths are premature, but they are preventable, and that’s why screening and lifestyle changes are absolutely critical.”
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