Friday 26 / July / 2024
Muscat: Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases are responsible for 72 per cent of all deaths in Oman, the Ministry of Health has said. Eighteen per cent of these mortalities occur prematurely in people, primarily those between the ages of 30 and 69, added the government body.
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among non-communicable diseases in Oman, responsible for 36 per cent of fatalities, followed by cancer (11 per cent), diabetes (eight per cent), and chronic respiratory diseases (two per cent).
Persons diagnosed with non-communicable/lifestyle diseases are also more vulnerable to contracting infection from COVID-19, warned the ministry.
They are more likely to suffer from more severe symptoms of the disease, while managing treatment or curing their ailments is also harder at present, as hospitals are preoccupied with treating coronavirus patients.
To spread awareness of the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle and not developing non-communicable diseases, the Ministry of Health has launched an awareness campaign, called hematak ma’ana (Arabic for ‘support us’) in collaboration with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca.
The campaign begins on Thursday, 21 January, and will target people with chronic ailments and their families, by focusing on the role patients play in managing their own diseases through self-monitoring and incorporating healthy practices into their lifestyles.
It will use various means to spread awareness, including educational videos and infographics on social media platforms, awareness adverts on TV channels, as well as messages shared on mobile phone applications and websites.
Health workers will also be provided awareness as part of the campaign’s efforts, through workshops and webinars dedicated to the detection and management of chronic lifestyle ailments.
