Dar es Salaam. As Tanzania Mainland is about to mark 60 years of Independence from foreign rule, health experts yesterday made four recommendations that could
save Tanzanians from dying of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).The recommendations - which were made in a televised programme ‘Tanzania at 60’ whose focus for this week was on the health sector - include introduction of tax incentives to promote physical exercises and construction of pavements along key roads for physical activities.
Others are setting up a mini-gym in government offices, and adopting inclusive policies. The ‘Tanzania at 60 Programme’ is the brainchild of Mwananchi Communications Ltd (MCL), which brings together stakeholders of a particular sector to discuss growth, challenges and the future of the sectors.
Considering its importance, MCL - publishers of The Citizen, Mwananchi and MwanaSpoti newspapers - was later joined by the Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), Clouds Media and Wasafi Media, with a view to intensifying the dissemination of information and education on Tanzania’s Independence.
Speaking during the programme, Medical Association of Tanzania (Mat) president Shadrack Mwaibambe said it was high time that Tanzania took a leaf out of South Africa which scrapped taxes on gym equipment to promote physical activities and reduce NCDs.
Official data have it that death rates from NCDs were nearly double in low-and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries.
Dr Mwaibambe said removing tariffs on gym equipment is a win-win for governments and their citizens, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on the economy.
He was also of the view that the government must make it mandatory for all roads constructed in urban areas to have pavements for walking, jogging as a form of physical exercises.
Explaining the need for tmini-gyms in government offices, Dr Mwaibambe said this would eliminate excuses from employees saying their busy schedules leave no time to exercise.
Even if it is for 30 minutes every three days of the week, one could feel mentally and physically refreshed, he noted.
Regular physical activity has such positive impacts for both employees and employers, the factor of which makes it worth revisiting all the benefits.
“If we are to surmount the challenges that the health sector is grappling with, policy makers need to come up with inclusive policies,” suggested Dr Mwaibambe.
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