They are known as “the silent pandemic” causing over 41 million deaths a year and disproportionately affect the world’s poorest. Despite this, many are not concerned.
Last year, United Nations World Health Statistics report said not only do noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) continue to cause the highest disease burden worldwide, but their impact has worsened in the past two decades.
Between 2000 and 2019 for instance, the number of deaths caused by NCDs increased by more than one third, from 31 million lives lost to 41 million lives lost – almost three out of every four deaths worldwide. Similarly, in 2000, NCDs caused 47 per cent of global disability-adjusted life years (1.3 billion years) and by 2019, they caused 63 per cent (1.6 billion years) of deaths.
The UN added that four major NCDs, namely cardiovascular disease (17.9 million deaths), cancer (9.3 million deaths), chronic respiratory disease (4.1 million deaths) and diabetes (2.0 million deaths), collectively killed about 33.3 million people in 2019, a 28 per cent increase compared to 2000.
Every year, I write at least one article related to NCDs and sometimes, I feel like saying the same things over and over again without getting through.
World Health Organization chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said the 2023 World Health Statistics “sends a stark message on the threat of noncommunicable diseases, which take an immense and increasing toll on lives, livelihoods, health systems, communities, economies and societies”.
Despite overall health progress, WHO said the increasing toll of NCDs means that if the trend continues, by around 2050, chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and respiratory illnesses – will account for 86 per cent of the 90 million deaths each year: a staggering 90 per cent increase in absolute numbers, since 2019.
Overall, the report underscores “a stagnation of health progress on key health indicators in recent years” compared with trends seen during 2000-2015, said WHO.
It also warns of the growing threat posed by climate change and calls for a more coordinated and robust response from countries worldwide to deal with the rising health challenges.
In Fiji, despite political commitment to reducing the health and economic costs of NCDs, prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease remain the highest in the Pacific region.
As recent as March this year, Health Minister Dr Atonio Lalabalavu pointed out that lifestyle diseases continue to be the main ‘disease burden’ for our people contributing to 80 per cent of all deaths in the country and 40 per cent of premature deaths.
While responding to the President’s speech in Parliament, Dr Lalabalavu said he was grateful to the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, for launching the Policy and Guideline on Healthy Catering at government agencies and institutions which should guide how the civil service could promote and implement healthy eating and meal preparation.
Dr Lalabalavu said the healthy habits to reduce NCDs in Fiji should not start inside hospital and nursing station walls but should be nurtured in our homes, schools, villages, work places, offices, and also in the deliberations of parliament. He said the NCD crisis would require all our collective effort and determination if we were to control and stop it.
Meanwhile, the ministry of health is finalizing its Wellness and NCD Strategy with the help of partners, which will, among other things, guide efforts in addressing NCDs in Fiji.
The move to develop such a strategy came about because of influences leading to increased “obesity; 80 per cent of deaths were due to NCDs; diabetes related death rates were rapidly increasing; deteriorating infrastructure was contributing to diarrhoeal diseases and maternal mortality rates continued to increase.”
According to the latest health statistics NCDs such as diabetes and obesityrelated illnesses were the leading causes of death and disability in Fiji with health care costs recorded at $591million in 2019.
Good nutrition, therefore, becomes a critical preventive factor for the scourge of NCDs in Fiji and any public campaign should include awareness on healthy food choices.
The Fiji 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey revealed that less than half of infants under six months were exclusively breastfed, which meant that people were being fed with unhealthy food options from a very young age.
The survey also showed there were unhealthy dietary practices in “older children, adolescents, and adults”.
This was influenced by low consumption of nutritious foods and high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages – all key risk factors for non-communicable diseases, according to UNICEF Pacific’s Representative, Jonathan Veitch, who said that “one third of children between the ages of 5-19 in Fiji are overweight.”
The study highlighted the lack of healthier food options in and around schools, various barriers to nutritional practices including affordability, despite the knowledge, unhealthy food and beverages dominating advertisement in peak viewership hours, as well as the price and convenience as important factors of individual dietary practices, amongst others.
It said addressing them required strengthening the policies and regulations to create healthier food environments with improved access to healthy foods; and enhancing service delivery for nutrition across sectors and platforms, including those at community level.
The bottom line is – NCDs crisis, if anything, calls for multisectoral efforts and multisystem engagement – whole of society and whole of government approach.
The government cannot solve the problem alone but instead depends on all key stakeholders.
Food and Agriculture Organisation says in most Pacific countries, including Fiji, imported processed foods, in particular refined rice, flour products, sugar, fatty meats, vegetable oils, and other processed foods have become predominant in most people’s diet.
Furthermore, these foods are usually higher in fat, salt and sugar compared to minimally processed foods and there is an increased availability of highly processed foods.
At the family level, one of the ways of help address our NCDs situation is to invest in setting up backyard vegetable gardens.
Establishing a vegetable garden is cost efficient and can benefit the family through the provision of fresh vegetables for meals and physical activities.
Furthermore, it will allow people to budget and save money that would otherwise be spent on poor and unhealthy food choices.
Lastly, don’t forget the impact of making healthy lifestyle choices by eating healthy food, exercising regularly, abstaining from alcohol, tobacco and substance abuse.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!
