The Cook Islands secretary of health Bob Williams is aiming to reduce the rate NCDs in the region by a quarter in the next 25 years. Photo: RNZ Pacific / Caleb Fotheringham
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and heart disease are the leading public health problems in the Pacific, say health experts.
NCDs are the region's biggest killers.
Dr Paula Vivili, Deputy Director-General of Science and Capability at The Pacific Community, said they were a "death sentence" for many people because treatments were often not available.
"We keep talking about it all the time because that's what kills most of the people, and prematurely at that," Vivili said.
"About 70 percent of the people who die in the Pacific die from non-communicable diseases."
Dealing with the region's high rate of NCDs was a major topic at the Pasifika Medical Association Conference that finished in the Cook Islands this week.
Sir Collin Tukuitonga, Auckland University's associate dean of public health, told the conference crowd of about 600 health professionals that efforts to reduce the rate of NCDs has not "made much difference at all".
"Despite all the good work over many years, the impact on reducing risk factors for non-communicable diseases is pretty disappointing," he said.
"Non-communicable diseases are responsible for about three quarters of all the deaths around the world and we have in our region amongst the most obese people in the world.
"NCDs have a disproportionate impact on small island states, so mortality rates and premature mortality rates are much, much higher in small island states compared to other countries."
Tukuitonga said alcohol was also a contributing factor and he wanted to see more regulation on the sale and purchase of it.
"There really ought to be some restrictions placed on the number of outlets that can sell alcohol and the hours of trading.
"It's a major cause of not just health problems but social problems."
The more freely available alcohol is, the more alcohol-related problems there are, Tukuitonga said.
Cook Islands shifts focus from Covid to fighting NCDs
Cook Islands Secretary of Health Bob Williams said his ministry's focus has shifted to NCDs post covid-19.
Williams said nearly half the country had NCDs and the country had a goal to reduce the number by a quarter over the next 25 years.
"Most of our people are dying from heart diseases, followed by diabetes and hypertension," he said.
The Cook Islands is rolling out its healthy and smoke-free island initiatives.
The focus is for tobacco products to be only available for existing smokers, reducing the consumption of sugary drinks, and introducing physical activity.
Williams said the initiative also includes increasing the number of NCD screenings.
Deputy Director of General Science and Capability at the Pacific Community, Dr Paula Vivili, Photo: RNZ Pacific / Caleb Fotheringham