‘Crisis level’ NCDs

Small island states leaders paid considerable attention to the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in their communities at a meeting yesterday.

Prime Minister Henry Puna noted at a post-meeting press conference that an item in Cook Islands News sparked ample discussion about health at the small island states leaders’ meeting yesterday.

”That article in the Cook Islands News about 24 out of 42 deaths in the Cook Islands (during the) first six months of this year (being) NCD-related actually sparked a lot of discussion of NCDs and the incidences of NCDs in small island states (and) throughout the Pacific,“ Puna said.

Leaders acknowledged that non-communicable diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease are ”a very serious issue“.

”There was a lot of sharing among member countries particularly on measures each country has taken to address this serious issue,“ Puna said.

He added that his government has increased levies on tobacco, alcohol and fizzy drinks in an effort to stem the rising tide of non-communicable diseases in the Cook Islands.

Of yesterday’s health-related discussions, he said: ”I think that was a very good exchange among members all with a view to helping each other overcome this terrible affliction“.

Cook Islands News reported yesterday that of 42 deaths between January and June of this year, 24 were the result of non-communicable disease.

Karen Tairea of the Ministry of Health shared the statistic with Pacific journalists at a workshop on Saturday, and asked for their help in spreading the news amongst their communities that NCDs have ”reached crisis level“.