Churches Seek Nutrition to be Added and Assessed in National Exams
The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has advocated for the integration of nutrition into the nation’s education curriculum as a measure to reduce non-communicable diseases in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, April 9, NCCK indicated that the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) should incorporate and evaluate students on this subject.
“We encourage the Kenya Institute for Curriculum Development, the Kenya National Examinations Council, and all other educational standards and examination bodies to add nutrition to their curriculum,” it mentioned.
“It will be very beneficial if we cultivate a nutrition-aware nation, as this will significantly reduce more than half of the household and national healthcare expenditures,” it noted.
According to the council, churches nationwide will also establish educational forums designed to raise awareness and inform congregants and the broader community about healthy nutrition practices.
Moreover, NCCK has urged the government to regulate the promotion of unhealthy foods that are high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats, particularly those aimed at children.
NCCK stated that advertisements for these specific food products featuring child-like characters should be prohibited.
Additionally, the council has stressed that the promotion of these ‘unhealthy products’ should not be broadcast during watershed hours when children are likely consuming media.
“Let us unite to safeguard children from the lifelong impacts of Non-Communicable Diseases, whose primary risk factor is diet,” it declared.
In Kenya, as per the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey (KDHS) data, NCDs account for 31% of all fatalities and over 50% of hospital admissions.
“The delegates, who were gathered from Embu, Kirinyaga, Murang’a, Nyeri, Laikipia, and Nyandarua counties, noted that managing a Non-Communicable Disease in outpatient care costs a patient nearly KSh 150,000 annually,” it remarked.
The council has called upon the Health Cabinet Secretary, Aden Duale, to contemplate declaring NCDs a national catastrophe and implement strategies to shield Kenyans from these diseases.
Furthermore, NCCK has also urged food manufacturers to incorporate front-of-pack warning labels on factory-processed food items, to ensure consumers are adequately informed about products containing unhealthy ingredients.
“In a similar vein, we urge the Ministry of Health to acknowledge that at a prevalence rate of 27%, NCDs require urgent attention. The burden that NCDs place on household and national healthcare is substantial, and must be addressed,” it stated.
