Minister for Health Dr Ifereimi Waqainabete has highlighted that Fiji had a significant increase in cases of diabetes from 2% in 1970 to 17% in 2011.
Waqainabete highlighted this in Parliament while responding to a question by FijiFirst MP Dr Salik Govind on why NCD’s appear to be increasing and what is being done to curb this issue
Waqainabete also revealed that recent statistics suggest that Fiji is plateauing with diabetes but continues to struggle with nutrition, obesity and high blood pressure.
He highlighted that in the fight against NCD’s, government has increased taxes on alcohol and tobacco and decreased taxes on fruit and vegetables.
The Health Minister adds that NCD drugs are also now available on the free medicine scheme bringing the total to 160 medications available to the public adding that care is also available for those who have developed complications with NCDs.
Leader of Opposition Sitiveni Rabuka also questioned the Health Minister if his Ministry has related the NCD’s trend that Fiji now has to the evolution of society.
The Health Minister says that a sedentary lifestyle where little or no physical activity is done is also found to be a risk factor for NCD’s adding that government has also introduced mechanisms to allow people to walk or run around such as seawalls, footpaths and parks.
