Madang, Papua New Guinea, 9 July 2009 — A World Health Organization (WHO) survey confirmed that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) linked to poor lifestyles remain the leading causes of death in 15 Pacific Island countries, accounting for 75 per cent of deaths annually.
These diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, are largely due to preventable lifestyle factors including smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity and excessive consumption of alcohol. Pacific Islands Ministers of Health meeting at Madang, Papua New Guinea this week renewed their commitment to efforts to tackle the problem. They agreed that sustained support from regional agencies and development partners was required.
WHO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) are collaborating at the regional level on noncommunicable diseases through the Pacific Framework for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, which provides the basis for the "2-1-22" Pacific NCD programme (two organisations, one team, serving 22 countries). They reported at Madang on actions taken since the ministers last met in Vanuatu in 2007.
Measures include whole-of-society and whole-of-government approaches to addressing NCDs, acknowledging many influences from outside of the health sector — such as food security, climate change, safe water supply, sanitation, education, and trade.
Ministers supported efforts to target major risk factors — tobacco smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity and over-consumption of alcohol — with evidence-based interventions using comprehensive approaches, including legislation, lifestyle changes, clinical support and health system strengthening.