Save lives by making gym equipment affordable

Cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Tanzania are on the rise, and there is a great need for intervention. Diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancer, heart disease and gout are messing up people’s lives.

When people’s disposable incomes increase, they tend to over-indulge in habits that make them vulnerable to NCDs.

In the past, diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular complications were associated with affluent people, but today, even low-income earners have become susceptible. Urbanisation in Tanzania is increasing in leaps and bounds and consequently, thousands of people who had been feeding on healthy foods in the village turn to junk foods that are of little use dietary-wise.

Many people in urban areas—especially those who are living single—consider cooking proper and healthy meals a waste of time and this explains for the rise in the number of people who are overweight and obese.

The risks are higher for those who smoke and take alcohol. While smoking can lead to lung cancer, alcohol can mess up one’s kidney and the liver. We need more campaigns to discourage people from indulging in excessive smoking and over-drinking.

Enforcing the drinking hours rule which restricts opening time for bars to 4pm and closing time 11pm, will impact positively on our people’s health. In order to keep NCDs at bay, regular exercises are most crucial. Health experts say exercising for just thirty minutes every day will do wonders to an individual, yet people are given to saying they cannot find time for this “luxury”.

For those who cannot muster the discipline of taking themselves through a regime of daily exercise, we propose they join a gymnasium, but government role would be crucial here.

It should reduce taxes on gymnasium equipment so that even people of modest income can attend gym sessions at affordable charges. That will save lives and huge cost involved in treating NCDs.

IMPROVE LEARNING FACILITIES

The desire by parents to send their children to school is high, and this has been amply demonstrated by the massive registration for Form One in regions like Mwanza.

According to the City Executive Director Kiomoni Kibamba, the city council has registered 16,000 against its target of 12,000. It means, the number of students which the authorities has planned for has been surpassed by 33 per cent!

The situation in Mwanza is sure to be replicated elsewhere in the country, more so in regions where parents have traditionally given priority to education such as Kilimanjaro, Kagera and Mbeya.

The free education policy that covers learners’ from Standard One to Form 4 leaves parents with no excuse for not sending their children to school, hence the high rate massive country is witnessing massive enrolment. The challenge ahead is to look into ways of ensuring learning environment is upgraded and expanded to match the rise in the number of learners. We should not allow our schools to be institutions where children simply go through the motions attendance, from Standard One to Form 4.

We need to expose them to quality education—and that entails availing proper teaching and learning facilities—if they are to be truly nurtured and equipped for today’s competitive world of science and technology.