THE Pacific Islands are in the grip of a non-communicable disease crisis.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Pacific Research Centre for the Prevention of Obesity and Non-communicable Diseases (C-POND) at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday, Health and Medical Services Minister Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete said evidence suggested that life expectancy was beginning to decline as a direct result of NCDs in some countries in the region.
Dr Waqainabete said subsequent to the increasing visibility and recognition by regional and global authorities was the need for local collaborators in health to further increase their capacities in research and development to allow them to remain consistent and relevant to the ever-changing global demand on health.
He said C-POND would help recognise Fiji at the forefront of global and regional health development, particularly in the areas of obesity prevention and control.
Dr Waqainabete noted Fiji’s risk assessment surveys through the 2002 and 2011 NCD Steps Survey, which he said was already giving an indication on the country’s national directions in as far as NCDs was concerned.
“On that note, given the severity of communicable diseases across our region at this point, and the increasing prevalence of the effects of climate change, I only hope that we do not forget communicable diseases and how fast it can come around to strike, and perhaps even further diversify research capacity in this collaborating centre in the future to identify impediments to holistic health and development.”
