By Charles Mkula:
Like in most African countries, the disease burden among different age groups in Malawi are on the rise and is negatively affecting students, teachers and managers in the country’s education sector.
Tuweni Mvula, Managing Director at Tiny-Tiyez Pre-Schools and Primary Schools says the disease problem is evidenced by high levels of child and adulthood mortality rates and high prevalences.
She says lifestyle behaviours are some of the leading causes of chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and some types of cancer.
“Effects if chronic diseases include family loss of income as a result of loss of independence by breadwinner, increased economic burden on health services due to, years of disability or death,” she says adding that apart from neglect due to pressure of work, these ailments become chronic because of lack of diagnosis and delayed treatment.
Malawi has only 4 physicians per 100,000 people, and the average life expectancy is 45 years. A high burden of HIV, malaria, respiratory infections and TB and other infectious diseases strain the country’s limited healthcare infrastructure.
In its efforts to provide healthcare services to different sections of the society, Manipal Hospitals recently held a webinar aimed at raising awareness about the importance of early diagnosis and timely intervention. The conference targeted teachers and education managers.
Dr. Vidyadhara, consultant and spine surgeon at Manipal Hospitals, explained that the webinar was intended to commemorate the contributions that teachers’ make in creating a healthy nation “while juggling between several different roles to the extent of neglecting their own health”.
He said the conference titled “360 Degree Health for Teachers” not only wanted to motivate teachers but also their family members to be aware and well informed and help them take timely measures in support of the teachers during their careers
Manipal Hospitals is India’s second-largest multi-specialty healthcare provider treating over 4 million patients annually.
With its recent acquisition of a 100% stake in Columbia Asia Hospitals in India, the integrated organization today has an enhanced pan-India footprint with 28 hospitals across 14 cities with 7,000+ beds with a talented pool of 4,000+ doctors and 10,000+ employees.
Its focus is to develop an affordable, high-quality healthcare framework through its multispecialty and tertiary care delivery spectrum and further extend it to out-of-hospital care.
Manipal Hospitals provides comprehensive curative and preventive care for a multitude of patients from around the globe.
