Non-Communicable Diseases are a serious threat to the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals and are robbing society's funds that could be devoted to social and economic development, Vice-President John Landa Nkomo has said.

In his speech read on his behalf by the Minister of State in his office Flora Buka at the NCDs two-day conference in Harare yesterday, Vice-President Nkomo said NCDs are rising in the developing world. The NCDs are also affecting the poor in the developed world. "The NCDs epidemic is thwarting poverty reduction efforts which are the first of the Millennium Development Goals and robbing societies of funds that could otherwise be devoted to social and economic development. "They constitute a serious threat to attain the Millennium Development Goals," he said.

Vice-President Nkomo said the burden of NCDs for developing and newly industrialised countries is expected to rise by more than 60 percent by 2020, compared to a rise of less than 10 percent in developed countries. Relevant Links "He said the NCDs are increasing due to lifestyle related risk factors resulting from social and economic changes.  N

komo said it is time for State and non-state actors as well as private entities to collaborate in initiatives to combat the disease. "It is time to provide information resources and thereby increase awareness on risk factors." Health Advisor in the Office of the President, Dr Timothy Stamps said Zimbabweans should unite to fight the NCDs. "We need Zimbabweans to join hands together and fight these NCDs," he said. Dr Stamps urged people to exercise, have healthy eating habits and go for NCDs tests. Free NCD tests are being conducted at the conference.