Non-communicable diseases cause about 39% of all deaths in Tanzania, said the country's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Bruno Sunguya. He spoke as the government holds its Non-Communicable Diseases Week, which runs from November 9 to 14, Mwananchi reported. The campaign aims to get people to protect themselves, check their health and seek early screening and treatment.
The week's theme is "Know your numbers, take action, save lives." It builds on the Zijue Namba Zako (Know Your Numbers) campaign, which Health Minister Mohamed Mchengerwa launched in May 2026. That campaign urges people to track key health indicators before problems turn serious.
Sunguya said lifestyle largely drives these diseases. He pointed to inactivity, poor diet, tobacco use and heavy drinking. The group includes diabetes, high blood pressure, cancer, chronic lung disease and sickle cell disease. It also covers mental illness, drug addiction and some eye, mouth and dental conditions. Many can develop unnoticed, especially in people who skip check-ups because they feel well.
He urged people to check their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and body weight. A blood pressure reading above 140/90 mmHg needs medical review. So does blood sugar above 7 mmol/L after more than eight hours without food, or 11 mmol/L at any time. Bad cholesterol (LDL) above 2.4 mmol/L is also a warning sign. These readings alone do not confirm a disease without a health worker's assessment.
The government advises a balanced diet with all six food groups, more vegetables and fruit, and less salt and sugar. People should exercise for at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week. They should also sleep well and avoid tobacco and heavy drinking. Sunguya warned against serving sweets, biscuits, soft drinks and syrups at meetings, seminars, workshops and concerts. He recommended fruit, clean water, groundnuts and cashews instead.
He also called on supermarkets to stop handing customers sweets or sugary items in place of change. "I urge shop owners not to force citizens to take high-sugar products as a substitute for the balance of their purchases," he said.
Sunguya said the government has directed health workers in all regions to educate the public, offer testing and create spaces that encourage exercise. Tanzanians are urged to get checked at least once a year, even without symptoms. The message is simple: feeling no pain does not mean being healthy.