Malabag: Dept should be active

 THE health department has to take a proactive role in promoting healthy lifestyles through awareness and advocacy, says Health and HIV/AIDS Minister Michael Malabag.

He said on World Health Day last Thursday: “The way forward is for the department to collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure that health care services are delivered and that healthy lifestyle and habits are promoted at all levels.”

He said the government had prioritised health and education as part of PNG Vision 2050 plan to have a healthy population.

Malabag described the trend of lifestyle diseases in the country as “worrying”.

“The department has factored lifestyle diseases into the national health plan. 

“The Key Result Area 7 outlines the strategies that are required to reduce the incidences of lifestyle diseases,” he said.

Strategies to address lifestyle diseases include :

l Early detection of conditions;

l Promotion of healthy lifestyles in government facilities and institutions;

l Enabling policies and laws for reducing lifestyle diseases.

On the health of the workforce, he said initiatives such as providing regular blood pressure checks to staff in their workplaces were timely.

He said high blood pressure was preventable and treatable and he urged people to get their blood pressure checked.

“The chances of developing high blood pressure and its adverse consequences can be minimised by making healthy choices about eating food from our gardens, reduce salt intake, avoiding harmful use of alcohol, tobacco use, doing regular exercise and effective management of stress,” he said.

In 2008, 524 patients were admitted to public hospitals in the country for high blood pressure. The number increased to 624 in 2009. 

He said Morobe, East New Britain, Western Highlands and the National Capital District including other major urban centers recorded a high number of patients admitted to hospitals with high blood pressure.