Lifestyle diseases increasing

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By PATRICIA KEAMO
THERE has been an increase in the trend of lifestyle diseases over the last 10 years, a health official says.
Port Moresby General Hospital (PMGH) chief executive officer Dr Paki Molumi said 15 to 20 years ago, doctors were challenged with communicable diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis and pneumonia but within the last 10 years, they have been faced with a rise in non-communicable diseases.
He said as people adapted to a modern lifestyle, the rate of diagnosis and deaths from lifestyle diseases was alarming.
Dr Molumi said non-communicable diseases included diabetes, heart disease and cancers all of which were related to lifestyle.
“Heart diseases and cancers are killing many Papua New Guineans, it is fast increasing and will soon take over,” Dr Molumi said.
According to PMGH cardiologist Prof Sir Isi Kevau, who is the director of the PNG Heart Foundation, half of the patients he saw had lifestyle diseases.
As the Government, Health Department and health workers strive to improve services and treatment facilities for lifestyle diseases, there is also a need to drive the message for preventative techniques and awareness.
Pacific International Hospital director Dr Amyna Sultan said with the increasing trend in lifestyle diseases, the hospital would introduce programmes that focused on the awareness and preventative strategies.
“This will help us to fight against the non-communicable diseases, which are becoming a burden as PNG is fighting with both communicable and non-communicable diseases,” Dr Sultan said.
“It is quite overwhelming to see people are still coming to the hospital with preventable complications with chronic diseases.”

7 comments

  • Needs more information here for public consumption….just to mention that the diseases are increasing is not good enough. How much of it is prevalent, who is it affecting, where is it happening, where does it stand in comparison to other health conditions etc etc actually gets the life-style diseases into proper perspective.

    SO WHAT??? PUMP IN K600 million or more and treat these conditions in the same manner we treated COVID-19…

  • Exercise, sleep and eating fresh vegetables are ways of preventing lifestyle diseases. Stress is a major killer. If you are in a relationship that is stressful, get out now! your physical well being is paramount. Finally, meditation is the key to happiness. 30 minutes each morning sets the course for the day. Lifestyle diseases do not suddenly appear, they occur over a period of time. Making a decision to live healthy and thinking positive thoughts is the most effective method of prevention. Just a thought…..

  • We need some real data here to substantiate the statements by the good Dr and CEO of POM General Hospital. Stop generalizing and start producing facts and figures and present the statistics to the National Government and the Health Department to address them just like what they have done with COVID-19.

    If the Health Department and National Governemnt can pump K600 million into addressing the health threat by COVID-19, I am sure the government will do everything to pump another K600 or more to addressing increased deaths by lifestyle diseases and other communicable diseases.

    Provide statistics rather than making general statements…

  • Too many Fat pigs in our health sectors and Parliament.
    They all should set the example for Healthy Living and Lifestyle.
    “The buck stops with them”.

  • Stress from work and living condition in the urban centres is causing people to end up life unhealthy life that result in obesity that leads to high blood pressure, heart attack etc.

  • Allowing too many fake Asian products coming into our country illegally that is slowly killing our people. It is about time we stop this Fake Asian products like cheap soft drinks, and rotten meats from what kind of animal who knows that’s flooding all the small shops operated by the Asians. This Asians are very clever knowing our standard of living they target the low income earners selling very cheap fake products made from God knows what. It is very scary. The responsible office should look into this matter as it is getting out of control.

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