The government has been urged to give more attention to non-communicable diseases to avert further deaths resulting from the disease.

The health stakeholders want the government to increase its commitment in the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (heart disease, stroke, obesity) and chronic respiratory diseases.

They claim that the government has over the years directed its efforts in advocating for communicable diseases like Hiv/Aids, Ebola, tuberculosis and flu while neglecting the NCDs.

The health stakeholders who met this September during the Non-Communicable Disease Research Program (NCDPR) consultative forum held in Nairobi, further called for thorough research on NCDs to enable design of policies to help curb the diseases.

NCDPR chairman, Mr Samuel  Gathera said that currently in Kenya around 80% of NCDs deaths are preventable hence the need for advocacy and strategies to avail information to the people.

He said that this could only be achieved if the government was willing to engage with health stakeholders through research and funding to halt further deaths that could be prevented.

“Today non-communicable diseases like cancer are turning to be a major killer than communicable diseases like Hiv/Aids, government should be aware of this phenomenon and from now hence forth should start giving attention to the NCDs” Mr Gathera said.

He further noted that NCDs are caused by behaviours such as smoking, alcoholism, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy diets that can be changed through fostered collaborative partnerships.

Non-communicable diseases refer to those diseases that cannot be spread from one person to the other.

According to Researcher Lydia Kaduka, it is worrying because most of the affected people by the NCDs are the youths.

She attributed this to “high levels of junk food intake, excessive consumption and smoking which result in raised blood pressure, overweight and raised blood cholesterol.”

Charles Mwandawiro, Deputy Director of Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) said that the country should deal with the increasing cases of NCDs if it is to achieve vision 2030.

“We need to start deal with the rising cases of NCDs, we cannot achieve vision 2030 if the diseases continue claiming lives especially the young, the 10% growth cannot be achieved at this rate,” Mr Mwandawiro said.

He further called on the government to provide funds for research and prioritize on supporting NCDs.

“Hiv/Aids campaigns get billions of shillings hence we urge the government and the stakeholders to fund NCDs  campaigns,” Mr Mwandawiro said.

Waihenya Mwangi who represented the Ministry of Health and Public Sanitation said that the ministry is experiencing burden of diseases but assured government’s commitment in addressing the issue.

He called on the health stakeholders to provide the government with information to approve funding.

“Ministry of Health will undertake measures to deal with NCDs, we have so far put legislative measures like Cancer Prevention and Control Act 2012,” said Mr Mwangi.

He continued: “we encourage and support research in best preventive and curative practices, the ministry requires to see evidence in order to allocate funds for a particular campaign.”

 

 

 

 

 

THE LOUNGE GIG IS BACK AT PETMA RESTAURANT

                                                                                     

The Friday night gospel gig ‘The Lounge’ is back fresh and reloaded after one month break and its promising entertainment galore to gospel music lovers.

The Lounge is hosted by K-crew’s Djs Soxxy and Johni celeb every Friday night at Petma restaurant, Kimathi Street from 8pm till late.

The lounge dubbed ‘The coolest Christian hang out joint in town’ according to the event organisers targets gospel music lovers as well as young mature persons who prefer ‘cool music and cool dancing’.

Speaking to the ‘Sammy’ during the re-launch of the Lounge at Petma on Friday, Dj soxxy said that after a month of consultations and review of their strengths and weakness, fans can now expect a better and energy filled show from the k-crew                                                                                      Photo/courtesy                                                             

 The gig had taken a break    after one of the crew member travelled abroad. Dj Johnie Celeb had been way from Kenya travelling abroad for the whole of last month.

According to Dj Soxxy, The Lounge is an alcohol-free event that changes up the theme with each edition.

The event will be featuring editions such as karaoke, poetry, salsa, acoustic, dance and band every Friday night.

Also good news to the event revelers as the gate charges have been reduced to kshs 200 from Kshs 300 after the re-launch.

Dj Gach, one of the Lounge organiser said the reduction of the fee will help in attracting more young guys to the gig as they seek to increase the space to accommodate more people because there are few such events to accommodate the high number of non-drinkers in town.

A cross check reveals that there are very gospel music joints in Nairobi, other similar events include Club 316 hosted by Dj Sadic’s Genius  entertainment crew at Charter Hall every last Friday of the month.

Similar event called Extreme Worship at Nairobi happens also last Friday of month at Nairobi Cinema.

Government should stop forced demolitions and evictions of innocent kenyans

City slum residents hold demonstrations against illegal and forceful night evictions by the Nairobi City council Askaris which has left them homeless.

The residents from Kiamaiko slums in Huruma last month camped outside the City Hall building for the better part of the day demanding explanation over illegal evections and also harassment by the city council officers.                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                      Photos/ Sammy Mburu

According to the residents, the City council did not serve them with any legal notice before demolishing their informal settlements on the dawn of 17^th August, 2012.

Further the residents expressed their anger on the way the evictions were carried out, they claimed that they were woken up by rowdy city council officers and the police who forcefully evicted them.

“It was around four in the morning on Friday 17^th August when we were awakened by bulldozers sound, when we came out were            surprised by the number of council askaris with the help of both regular police and the G.SU (General Service Unit)who collaborated in harassing and ensuring we don’t resist the eviction plan,” said Kiamaiko resident Stanley Mwangi.

Mr Mwangi said the day before evictions; the residents had held a meeting with the Starehe District Commissioner who assured them there were no court orders or legal notices to eject them following rumours of planned demolitions in the area.

According to the residents, in 1993, Nairobi city council issued them with allotment letters approving them as legal owners of the land.

“The council issued us with allotment documents in 1993, this meant that we legally own the land, we do not understand which criterion was used to evict us because we were never served with any notice or explanation for the evictions,” Mr Mwangi said.

David Mwaniki housing rights activists and head of Rapid Response Team questioned the manner the evictions claiming that the council did not follow the law in which around 70 homes were reduced to a heap of rubble.

He further said the action showed total disregard to rule of law by the city council and efforts to establish who ordered the demolitions have been futile.

According to Mr Mwaniki, the residents contacted Deputy officer commanding police division from Pangani police station who coordinated the operation and said “that they were not served with an official order to evict but received a phone call for reinforcement of security for the operation”

“This shows evection was carried out of contrary to any legal procedures, the demolishers had no court order that authorized them to demolish the area,” said Mr Mwaniki.

Naomi Barasa of the Amnesty International however appealed to City council and the government to provide the residents of humanitarian assistance who are now leaving without shelter, food, water and access to sanitation facilities.

Ms Barasa said this is contrary to the spirit of law as it denies residents their rights guaranteed in the constitution.

Citing Article 43 (b) of the constitution she continued: “the constitution guarantees that all Kenyans have the right to accessible and adequate housing, and to reasonable standards of sanitation; the demolitions do not reflect respect of law, no one is above law.”

In a rejoinder, the Director of City Planning Tom Odongo held an indoor meeting with the residents and assured them that the City Council will look in to the matter and address their concerns.

Mr Odongo said the council will conduct analysis of the Kiamaiko slum to determine who legally owns the land and after two weeks it will issue a comprehensive report over the matter.

“I assure you that I will order investigations in to the matter, we will conduct a survey in the area under focus to establish the real owners, the process should be complete in two weeks after which I will give full report over the matter,” said the city planning Director.

Mr Odongo however called on the residents to engage with the council in  achieving joint resolutions to address the matter

GMO-Maize destroyed by unknown Virus

                                                         

Government has been urged to act sternly as more than 40,000 acres of maize fields affected by deadly virus according to the Agricultural sector players in the country.

Agriculture players in the country on Thursday 30th August called on the government to take immediate action to avert further and future destruction of maize crop in the country following invasion by a maize virus.                                                                                        Photo/ Courtesy      

The virus identified as Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) disease has destroyed approximately 40,000 acres of maize across the country.

Speaking during a conference organized by Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) at Lillian Towers in Nairobi, Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Virologist Dr Anne Wangai said that MLN disease had destroyed large portions of maize spread across various parts in Kenya.

“In September 2011, the disease (MLN)was first reported in in the lower parts of Longisa division of Bomet District, in February 2012, it was noted in Bomet Central division, spreading into neighbouring Chepalungu District, Narok  North & South Districts, Naivasha.” Dr Wangai said.

She continued: “by April 2012, the disease had spread into Sotik,, Koinon, Transmara,  Rumuruti, Kisii, Bureti, Kericho, Mathira East, Imenti South and Embu, the rate of transmission is worrying thus the Agriculture Ministry should act immediately.”

According to Dr Wangai, the disease within seven months the MLN disease has been able to spread from the South Rift area to other parts of the country among them western, Eastern Central and Nyanza regions.     

She called on the government to put up measures to curb further spread, she recommended that government should establish maize closed season in all regions, quarantine on movement of maize materials from affected areas, and removal from fields all infected maize crop.

Dr Wangai further urged the government to develop resistant crops and Conducting tests to verify seed transmission of viruses.

“The government should consider Screening of released maize varieties for resistance, inclusion of MLND resistance in maize improvement programs, conducting tests to verify seed transmission of viruses in local cultivars and identify alternate hosts of viruses and vectors” she said.

The group comprised of officials from Agriculture Ministry, OFAB, KARI and KEPHIS (Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service) settled on the essential to create awareness among farmers on the need to plant alternative crops such as potatoes, cassava and vegetables.

They said there is need for the government through Agriculture ministry to form a task force charged with providing information to farmers.

  

BY SAMMY MBURU