The state minister for Higher Education, Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo has raised concern over the un-health diet among Ugandans that continues to put their lives at risk of contracting chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes among others.
Speaking at the 7th graduation ceremony for MildMay Institute of Health Sciences, Muyingo notes that such diseases can be avoided if people watch what they eat .
“People are becoming unhealthy, out of ignorance many Ugandans are eating their way to the grave, too much oil in their food, too much sugar almost on a daily basis because it is cheap, salt even when it is not necessary”. He emphasized.
He further asked health workers across the country to double efforts in sensitizing the public about healthy eating to curb the vice.
“We have started registering some obese cases and many noncommunicable diseases are attacking our people yet health workers can just talk to them about healthy eating and they change their eating habits”, Muyingo added.
At the same graduation ceremony where Over 400 students were awarded certificates and diplomas in different disciplines including among others public health, counselling, human nutrition and clinical dietetics, the Minister advised students to to further their studies as a way of updating their knowledge and skills.
He noted that graduates who don’t go for further studies end up being obsolete which limits their productivity most especially in the health sector.
The Institute Chancellor Rev. Prof. Dr Sam Luboga urged graduands to embrace resilience not only at personal strength but also as a professional imperative .
“In healthcare resilience must be accompanied by empathy and a deep sense of responsibility, you are entering a field where each action has the power to change lives “,Dr Sam Luboga said.
