THERE is a need to fight non-communicable diseases in a small island nation like Fiji, says Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.
Speaking at a high-level meeting for NCD at the UN headquarters in New York this week, he said the epidemic had posed a threat on small island nation economies.
“Non-communicable diseases are critically problematic around the world, but in small island developing states, the urgency is even more evident,” Mr Bainimarama said.
The Fijian Government, he said had taken a holistic approach to find solutions of combating the disease.
“Seventy per cent of Fijians are under the age of 40, with a full 50 per cent below the age of 27; and for our young people, action now can change habits and help their generation reverse the chokehold that NCDs have on our people and their potential.
“Our most recent national budgets have pumped huge amounts of capital into building and upgrading our hospitals and health centres, along with training and recruiting skilled nurses and doctors to fill them.”
He said the UN had been on the forefront of the global fight against NCDs.
