By Peter Ssebulime
The Deputy Executive Director of Uganda Heart Institute (UHI) Dr. Luwabi Peter has attributed the increased number of heart diseases amongst Ugandans to tobacco smoking and the bad life styles.
Addressing a joint news conference ahead of the world no tobacco day due to take place on 31st  June 2018, Dr. Luwabi revealed that one out of every four persons suffers from high blood pressure.
He added that tobacco smoking is the leading cause of lung cancer and heart diseases since it contains a lot of poison that causes blood clots, hence heart attacks and strokes which accounts for seven million deaths across the globe.
In the same way, Dr. Nyakoojo Wilson said they find a lot of hardships while operating on those with tobacco smoking history due to many complications they possess and yet they account for the biggest numbers who turn up for treatment.
Dr.Suleiman Lubega said that 1% of the new borns have heart diseases which is attributed to both active and passive smoking by their parents.
Dr. Hafisah Lukwata the head of mental health in the ministry of health appealed to the public to desist from smoking habits in order to prevent the non-communicable diseases.
She also called for the inclusive implementation of the tobacco control act.
Available statistics indicate that at least the Heart Institute registers 3 heart diseases per week while 100,000 deaths annually are as a result of non- communicable diseases which are mainly caused by tobacco smoking, poor feeding, failure to carryout physical exercise and bad life styles.
It’s important to note that operations of heart diseases cost on average 20 million for adults and 8 million for children.
This medical field is also understaffed with only 15 cardiologists, four open heart surgeons and 20 specialized nurses across the country of which most of them are found in Kampala.
However the good news is that Uganda Heart Institute started a training program for the doctors with master’s degree in handling heart related diseases.
