The Minister for Health and Medical Services, Jone Usamate, says non-communicable diseases remain a major challenge and threat to the Pacific.

He says it is a threat that must be brought to bear with its challenges and complications.

Mr Usamate was speaking on improving health services in Fiji during the opening of the General Practitioners Association workshop.

The three-day workshop, which started last Friday, is being held at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa on Denarau. This is the first Gold Coast Medical Association and Fiji College of General Practitioners combined annual conference.

Mr Usamate spoke on NCDs and how big a challenge it has been to the Pacific.

“NCDs is a great tsunami that threatens to roll over the Pacific Islands, it is one of our greatest challenge that we have,” he said.

“Here in the Pacific and in Fiji, NCDs have taken a firm grip on your populations. It is shaking us to our very core.

“The challenge for us is not so much on the impact of NCDs in general, but more so the impact it is having at a far younger age on our populations.

“People are getting sicker at far younger ages; this is having a detrimental effect on us now. “

Mr Usamate said the Government focused on primordial action to minimise future hazards to inhibit the establishment of factors.

These factors are environmental, economic, social, behavioural and cultural. He said the modern challenge is the easy access to high energy diets and sedentary lifestyles.

“Primordial change requires change in socio-economic status of society, better socio-economic status,” Mr Usamate said.

“The month of July will be the month for non-communicable diseases and the Health Ministry is happy to see the interests of the general practitioners in the area of NCDs.”

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