Lifestyle diseases a concern in PNG

I WOULD like to commend Health Minister Sasa Zibe for his speech that touches on lifestyle-related diseases and targeting fatty diet in trying to regulate the fat content.
It is indeed a challenge but has been applied by some Western countries such as Canada, United States and Australia. They have effectively reduced death rates from heart diseases from 600:100,000 in 1974 to about 200:100,000 in 2000.
As the technical adviser related to lifestyle diseases, I support the minister’s call to ensure meat with excessive fat are regulated and banned. This will require the support of all related units at NDOH, including the Nutrition and National Food Council.
The minister has indeed made a commitment to fund and support these units and even hinted on collaboration work with other related authorities such as Agriculture, National Quarantine and Inspection Authority to ensure that only lean meat or required meat are imported.
Lifestyle diseases or non-communicable diseases are now increasing in developing countries such as PNG and it is better to take a proactive role in developing healthy policies to safeguard our population although the people must make their own choice.
Unfortunately, due to the poor socio-economic situation, people will choose low quality and unhealthy diet.
This may lead to diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases.
Papua New Guinea does not have high-tech medicine to support and sustain those affected by heart and kidney problems.
I commend NCD Governor Powes Parkop for calling on the citizen to clean up the city or he will ban the sale of buai.
I urge Papua New Guineans to support Zibe and Parkop, who are making bold statements to reduce lifestyle-related diseases caused by betelnut and smoking, and chronic lung and heart diseases that are related to a lack of physical exercise, high fat content and salty diet with sweet food and drinks.
These are major lifestyle health risk factors that we can change to:
* Add health to our life;
* Add years to our life; and
* Add life to our years gained.
Failing to take healthy lifestyle choices will result in subtracting years from our life and we will live a life with disability or suffering and die early.
May the people make a right and informed healthy choices for life and live life to its fullest.

Dr Thomas Vinit
Technical adviser – lifestyle diseases
NDOH