Fiji is facing a Non Communicable Disease Tsunami that is claiming the lives of four hundred people every year.

That is the message conveyed by NCD National Advisor, Doctor Isimeli Tukana to the various representatives from the medical sector at the National Health Symposium currently underway at the Fiji School of Medicine.

Tukana said if one looks at the statistics from 1996 to 2008, the main cause of death of people between the age of 45 to 49 years is non communicable diseases such as Diabetes, Cardiovascular diseases, injuries and accidents as well as mental illnesses.

Addressing the audience which also included representatives from the Fiji Nursing Association, the Permanent Secretary for Health as well as doctors, Tukana stressed that the stand that should be adopted now by the primary health care providers in the 180 health institutions around the country should be that of addressing the risk factors.

Tukana highlighted a report from 2007 which showed that there was a high prevalence of people doing things that were a risk to their lives such as 36.6% of the people in the country smoke, 47.9% are overweight especially in the urban areas and 77.6% of people are involved in binge drinking.

The 2 and half day symposium will also see outcomes being compiled and taken up into the National NCD Act which is being drafted.


Story by: Paradise Tabucala.