First Pacific NCD Summit Officially Opened by HM King Tupou VI
21st June, 2016 His Majesty King Tupou VI officially opened the first Pacific NCD Summit yesterday morning at Fa’onelua Convention Centre.
More than 120 high-level delegates from around the region and development partners in attendance including the President of Kiribati HE Taneti Maamau, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and Director General of SPC Colin Tuikuitonga.
The theme of the summit is ‘Translating Global and Regional Commitments into Local Action’ aiming to address the need for more high level political leadership on NCDs and to identify ways forward in addressing the issue. In His Majesty’s opening address he told the delegates that Tonga has put significant efforts to ensure that NCDs are everyone’s agenda.
“Here in Tonga, I am pleased to state that we have put in significant efforts to ensure that NCDs is kept very much at the forefront of everyone’s agenda,” he said.
“NCDs have been specified as among the government’s priority areas for at least the past 15 years.”
He stated that the current Tonga Strategic Development Framework prioritize NCDs with the backing of strong government leadership.
“The current Tonga Strategic Development Framework continues to prioritize NCDs and government leadership and support continues to be strong.”
“This is reflected by ongoing legislative and policy measures passed through Parliament as recently as a few months ago to help address NCDs related issues such as affordability of unhealthy foods and tobacco products.”
King Tupou VI stressed that Tonga Health Promotion Foundation as well as churches contributed to provide funding and support for NCDs activities.
“The Tonga Health Promotion Foundation continues to provide funding and has recently also taken up the role of Secretariat to NCDs related activities. This will help streamline activities and facilitate collaboration between the different stake holders and partners.”
“I am pleased to share that the churches are also endeavoring to play their part. Many church leaders have shown strong leadership in making often unpopular decisions related to food given it’s an integral part of Tongan social and ceremonial events.”
UNDP Administrator Helen Clark said according to the World Health Organization forty percent of Pacific Islanders have been diagnosed with NCD.
“Forty percent of Pacific Islanders have been diagnosed with an NCD according to WHO in 2010, many before they have reached their fortieth birthday,” she said.
Clark said the support from partners was critical to help governments to prevent and control NCDs.
“Support from partners can be catalytic, and can supplement the capacity of governments themselves to commit domestic resources to NCD prevention and control.”
“Tonga, our host legislated for a Health Promotion Foundation Act nearly a decade ago.”
Director of South Pacific Community Colin Tukuitonga said the Pacific is often referred to as the NCD capital of the world.
“You are all well-aware that the Pacific is often referred as the NCD capital of the world and that we are facing an NCD crisis,” he said.
“We have among the highest prevalence of NCDs and NCD risk factors in the world and feature prominently on a number of ‘Top 10’ lists that we would rather not be on.
“At the end of the day, regardless of what challenges we may be facing as Pacific Islanders, the fact is between six and eight of every 10 deaths in the Pacific is from NCDs.”
The Summit will end on Wednesday and the sessions are run by different key delegates from the Pacific nations.
The event is jointly organized by the Government of Tonga and the Pacific Community (SPC) with support from the Australian Government, New Zealand Aid Programme, Government of the United States, World Bank, World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Issued from the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications.
