NON-COMMUNICABLE Diseases (NCDs) are the leading causes of death in Solomon Islands, killing at least six people daily.
This alarming figure was highlighted to journalists by the Director of Non-Communicable Diseases Division in the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Nevalyn Laesanau during a Food Security Seminar in Honiara organized recently by Japanese Embassy.
She said Solomon Islands is grappling with a profound health crisis where each day, a staggering number of six lives are lost to NCDs.
Mrs Laesanau said this daily NCDs death rate translates to a mournful toll of 180 per month and this is very concerning.
She said Solomon Islands health system is dealing with a ravaging NCDs rate that accounts for 80 percent of the cases at the National Referral Hospital and this implies that a great portion of the population are not eating fruits and vegetables.
“The number of people dying has increased and each day, six people die of NCDs in the country.
“NCDs are very concerning. It is now at a crisis point in our country. Data shows that six people die each day from NCDs. This includes those who walk, fall and die or those that sleep and never wake up as one of the contributing factors [to these deaths] is diet,” Mrs Laesanau added.
Mrs Laesanau said data collected shows that around 89 percent of the country’s population is not eating local food, mainly fruits and vegetables, which are much healthier.
‘’NCDs can be cured and eliminated when people eat the right amount of balanced diet. Coupled with exercise, they can help address NCD,” she added.
Mrs Laesanau said the NCDs situation is the country is staggering, one in six persons in Solomon Islands is diabetic, one in five persons is pre-diabetic and one in three persons has high-blood pressure.
“The NCD situation is the country is staggering, one in six persons in Solomon Islands diabetic, one in five persons is pre-diabetic and one in 3 persons in the country has high-blood pressure,” she added.
Mrs Laesanau said currently, the Ministry of Health and Medical Services is partnering with the Japanese Government to promote healthy food and heathy eating in a bid to address the NCD crisis.
She said this follows a request from Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele to Japan to help combat the high NCDs rate in the country.
Mrs Laesanau said she hopes this partnership will help encourage people to eat healthy, eat the right proportion of health food and at the right time.
BY JIMMY NOLAN
Solomon Star, Honiara
