By Abdullahi Yusuf
Nigeria is facing escalating public health crisis as evident in the rise in non communicable diseases, the Executive Executive Director, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa(CAPPA),Akinbode Oluwafemi, has said.
Oluwafemi disclosed this on Monday at a two-day training on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages(SSBs),Tax and Industry Monitoring organized by CAPPA for Journalists in Kano.
He said the diseases are partly fuelled by dietary factors such as excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially SSBs and high sodium foods.
He said various studies had shown that debilitating diseases, once considered distant concerns, are now the reality for countless Nigerians,”draining their finances, straining our healthcare system, and threatening the wall-being of our future generations.”
“Non Communicable diseases currently account for about 30 per cent of all deaths annually in Nigeria.Noteworthy is the contributions of the ultra-processed food industry to this crisis.
“Food corporations use a sophisticated web of marketing strategies to lure Nigerians, especially children and young adults into consuming ultra-processed foods that damage their health,undermine public health policies, and cost the Nigerian healthcare system billions,” the Executive Director said.
Recognising the problem, he said,the Nigerian government Introduced the Sugar
Sweetened Beverage (SSB) tax in 2021, imposing a N10 levy per litre on all non-alcoholic, sweetened and carbonated drinks.
He said the goal of this pro-health policy is to discourage excessive consumption of SSBs, reduce Nigerians’ addiction to sugary drinks, and stem the rise in SSB-fuelled noncommunicable diseases.
“But there are several concerns.These include the extremely low threshold of the tax which has rendered it ineffective, the false narratives of the SSB industry, and the lack of transparency in how the revenue from the tax is expended by the government.These among others, make this interaction with you these two days a necessity,”Oluwafemi said.
The training, he said, is aimed at building the capacity of media professionals to accurately report these public health concerns, non communicable diseases burden in Nigeria, and pro-health policies that prioritize the citizens’ wellbeing.
He said the programme would also “equip every one of us with the tools to identify and counter industry tactics that undermine the implementation of pro health policies and promote the dissemination of evidence-based information to the public.”
“Your role remains vital in ensuring that individuals especially at the grassroots level are well-informed and not misled by narratives promoted by vested interests in the big food industry. You have the power to shape narratives, influence public perception, and drive change.
“Through accurate, compelling and investigative reporting, you can educate the public, hold stakeholders accountable, ensure that the issue of food-related diseases is at the forefront of public discourse, and advocate for healthier policies,as we embark on this journey together,” the Executive Director added.
The training programme featured presentations including “Cultivating the Media for People Friendly Public Health Advocacy” by Zikora Ibeh, Assistant Director Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa(CAPPA), and “Nigeria’s NCD Burden: The Role of SSBs, Unhealthy Diets” by Dr. Ekiyor Joseph.