70-80% of total deaths are attributed to NCDs alone

70-80% of total deaths are attributed to NCDs alone, while the burden of premature mortality from NCDs also weighs heavily, constituting 30-40% of all related deaths in our country.

Ministry of Health Chief Medical Advisor, Jemesa Tudravu stated this at the launch of the Fiji Cardiovascular Risk Assessment and Management(CRAM) guidelines or the Fiji CRAM guideline held at Southern Cross Hotel Suva adding this represents another great effort in tackling NCDs.

Tudravu says incorporating risk assessment and management strategies into the healthcare system, they can ensure early intervention and timely treatment, ultimately saving lives and improving the overall well-being of our population.

He further says alarming global trends further emphasize that a substantial portion of premature deaths, approximately 85%, occurs in low to middle income countries like ours.

He says the high burden from NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases have resulted in significant loss of healthy life, compromised quality of life for affected individuals due to early and high levels of disability, and mortality from the lack of effective treatment and timely access to health care.

Tudravu adds it identifies core technologies, medicines, and risk prediction tools, including essential protocols for the management of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases, and cancer.

He says these guidelines not only enable the early detection and management of NCDs but also serve as a preventive measure against life-threatening complications such as heart attacks, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and blindness.