Advocacy against sugar intake should be same as cocaine – Okoye

An expert in the health sector has called on the Federal Government to increase its advocacy against diseases inherent in sugar intake to same level as cocaine consumption.
This assertion was made by Ifeoma Okoye, a radiologist at University of Nigeria teaching hospital (UNTH), Nsukka in the group discussion at a workshop organised by the Nigeria NCD’s (Non-communicable diseases) alliance yesterday in Lagos.

“Through a well-tailored information system, Nigerians need to be convinced of the fact that different diseases are inherent in sugar intake hence the need for more advocacy to be at the same level with cocaine,” Okoye said.
Okoye added that high consumption of sugar is fuelling the increase in prevalence of Non-communicable diseases mainly cancer, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes in Nigeria.
“Our Children are inundated with sugar currently therefore we need to have the populace knows about dangers involved because it is an eye opener in the healthcare industry.”
She further explained that asthma is been fuelled by preservatives, hormones and antibiotics that are been added to almost every food production we are having in the country which Nigerians are consuming from their early childhood to adult stage.

Speaking further, the radiologist, said “we need to tell our populace that they are been killed, that the prevalence of diabetes is affecting one or two persons in a family representing millions of the country’s population. It is time we fight against countries dumping sugary product in Nigeria.”

Olawale David, Director of Public Health with Osun State Government stated that so many policy makers do not even know the relevance of NCD’s financing and benefits to the nations, while calling for the increase in the enlightenment of non-communicable disease among policy makers and the political class.
According to WHO, NCD’s are the number one causes of deaths and disabilities worldwide accounting for 68 percent of global mortality which translate to two out of every three deaths.