NCCK urges government to introduce nutrition as tested subject in national examinations

The National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has urgently appealed to the government to declare non-communicable diseases (NCDs) a national emergency, citing the escalating health and economic burdens they impose on the country. 

The council issued its call to action on April 9, emphasizing the need for systemic changes, including incorporating nutrition education into the national curriculum. NCCK is advocating for the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) and the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to integrate nutrition as a formal subject. 

The council believes that empowering young learners with knowledge about proper dietary habits will foster a generation that understands the vital link between diet and health outcomes, potentially reducing healthcare costs at household and national levels. Beyond formal education, NCCK plans to implement community-based educational programs through its network of churches across Kenya. 

These forums will raise awareness among congregants and community members about healthy eating practices and the importance of nutrition in mitigating chronic illness risks. The council has also addressed the pervasive influence of advertising on dietary choices, particularly among children. NCCK is urging the government to impose strict regulations on advertisements promoting foods high in sugar, salt, and saturated fats. 

They emphasize the need to ban marketing strategies that utilize childlike characters or target vulnerable audiences during peak viewing hours for children. The urgency of NCCK’s appeal stems from the alarming statistics revealed by the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, which indicates that NCDs account for 31% of deaths and over half of hospital admissions in the country. 

Delegates from six counties in the central region have highlighted the financial strain of managing NCDs, with outpatient care costing patients up to KSh 150,000 annually. NCCK is urging Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale to deploy robust frameworks to protect citizens from the consequences of these diseases, which disproportionately affect families and strain healthcare resources. 

Additionally, NCCK calls for food manufacturers to adopt transparent labelling practices, including front-of-pack warnings on processed foods with unhealthy ingredients.