Africa’s urgent need to fight Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) has been heightened by the impact of COVID-19.
Diabetes, one of the major NCDs, can cause serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys – raising sufferers’ risks should they get coronavirus.
‘Take Action Against Diabetes’ was the theme for this year’s Ecobank Day, which Ecobank celebrated on 11 November 2020. It also marked the second year of our three-year ‘Together for Better Health’ campaign focusing on NCDs, which are a leading cause of death.
Due to the pandemic, African health authorities’ resources and treatments have been diverted away from NCDs, making prevention of NCDs even more vital. Our campaign encouraged Africans to adopt healthier lifestyles: healthy diet, regular exercise, stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol. Ecobank Day activities included a pan-African webinar on Diabetes and other NCDs, as well as a social media campaign encouraging people to share the healthy lifestyle changes they’ve made.
To maximise our impact, we partnered with NCD Alliance, the global network dedicated to controlling and preventing NCDs. Ecobank and our affiliates donated US$100,000 to the NCDA Solidarity Fund which supports the work of national and regional NCD Alliances addressing the critical needs of people living with NCDs.
For more information, visit https://www.ecobank.com/ecobank-day