People can be careless in their daily lives. We tend to give in to our urges. With no mindfulness in eating, traveling, or awareness of our surroundings, some of us cross over to the next life, before our time is up. As our lives are becoming more convenient and easier, the causes for early death are increasing at the same rate.
In the past, humanity was threatened by contagious diseases. But now, we face a new threat — noncontagious diseases, that can just as easily afflict our lives. These noncommunicable diseases include cardiovascular ailments, hypertension, and diabetes. According to a health survey conducted in 2016-2017, 75 per cent of deaths in Myanmar can be attributed to hypertension, diabetes, or some form of noncontagious disease.
Noncommunicable diseases have become widespread during the last decade. The main causes for their proliferation is the increase in global population and the change in living standards, including changes in our environment and the food we consume. The people of Myanmar are still not equipped for leading a high-quality life, which is why they are still being threatened by these diseases.
Myanmar is still not developed enough to provide health protection to all its citizens. However, the country’s healthcare authorities are treading out of the former norm and working towards providing healthcare as far as it can reach.
People in urban cities, at least, have access to healthcare, but rural areas are not so fortunate. Therefore, the Ministry of Health and Sports is prioritizing efforts in those areas. It’s heartening to see progress being made in that respect.
Among the initiatives spearheaded by the MoHS are the hypertension and diabetes clinics opened on Wednesdays in rural areas. This is a welcome step forward in reducing the mortality rate of our people from noncontagious diseases.
If we can provide quality healthcare to all families and people in our nation, then we will not only prevent premature deaths, but empower our citizens to lead healthy lives. A healthy life leads to a healthy mind, and will bring prosperity and development to Myanmar._GNLM
