12 September 2025 by Limpho Sello

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Hypertension—commonly known as high blood pressure—is one of the leading causes of death in Lesotho. It is among the top three diseases that do not spread from person to person but are killing people in the country, according to Dr. Malitaba Litaba, head of Lesotho’s Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) Programme.

“Hypertension is the biggest problem. Too many of our patients, our loved ones, are dying from strokes and heart failure caused by uncontrolled blood pressure,” Dr. Litaba said.

She said hypertension is followed by cancer. Among cancers, she explained, cervical cancer claims the highest number of lives among women, while leukemia is the most common in children. Road accidents and violence—both largely fueled by alcohol consumption—were highlighted as the third major challenge.

“If we focus resources on hypertension, cancers, and road accidents, we can reduce the national disease burden and protect our economy,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lesotho’s Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, described NCDs as a crisis that has crept into homes, schools, and workplaces unnoticed, but with deadly consequences.

“Year in and year out, half of our people are losing their lives to these silent killers. Too often, we notice them only when it is too late,” Mochoboroane said.

Dr. Litaba and Minister Mochoboroane made these remarks during the launch of the Coordinated National Response to Combat Non-Communicable Diseases and Injuries (NCDIs) on September 10, 2025, at the Manthabiseng Convention Center in Maseru.

At the event, Lesotho declared war on accidents and non-communicable diseases—often called silent killers. These include diabetes, hypertension, cancers, respiratory illnesses, mental health disorders, and accidents. Together, they are now the leading causes of death in the country and across Africa.

Dr. Litaba described the initiative to combat non-communicable diseases and accidents as a decisive turning point in strengthening Lesotho’s national response.

“With this coordinated effort, Lesotho is reaffirming its commitment to Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4, which seeks to reduce premature deaths from NCDs by one-third by 2030 while promoting mental health and well-being,” she said.

She added: “Treating is more expensive than preventing. Prevention requires us to act outside the health sector—reducing tobacco use, limiting alcohol availability, regulating environments, and ensuring that healthy food is affordable.”

On his part, Minister Mochoboroane said NCDs are not just health issues but societal challenges shaped by social, economic, political, and environmental forces.

“When a breadwinner suffers a stroke due to undetected hypertension or a young person develops lung disease from polluted air, these are not inevitable tragedies. They are failures of our collective systems. But we can change this,” he said.

The mechanism, he explained, will unite ministries such as health, education, finance, agriculture, environment, sports, and public works, alongside civil society, academia, the private sector, and community leaders.

“It will also strengthen referral systems, raise awareness through media and community dialogues, and advocate for policies that make healthy living the easier choice. The first stakeholder meeting will be held later this month to map resources, share ideas, and co-create a national plan for NCD prevention and control,” he said.

“Today marks a turning point. I am proud to launch the National Multisectoral Coordination Mechanism for NCDs and mental health.”

The Minister pointed to progress already made, including construction of a cancer center, the establishment of a palliative hospice, and the rollout of essential NCD interventions at primary healthcare level.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation Country Representative, Dr. Innocent Bright Nuwagira, described the launch as an important milestone in Lesotho’s response to the growing NCD burden.

“Globally, NCDs account for more than 70 percent of deaths. They are largely preventable, driven by risk factors like tobacco use, harmful alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and air pollution,” he said.

“Lesotho is facing this challenge, but it has also made commendable progress through bold actions such as the development of an Integrated Multisectoral NCD Strategy.”

Dr. Nuwagira emphasised that only collective action can work. “The launch of this mechanism provides a vital platform for coordination, shared responsibility, and decisive action. It is only by bringing government ministries, civil society, the private sector, development partners, and communities together that we can effectively tackle NCDs.”