The diseases that kill more Filipinos than any other might surprise you. They’re called noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and they take almost 300,000 lives in this country every year.
The main NCDs are diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic diseases that affect the airways and lungs. While these diseases affect different parts of the body in different ways, they often share common origins. The good news is, many of these factors — such as unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol — are avoidable.
The Philippines is taking some good steps to prevent NCDs, like taxing tobacco use and sugary drinks. But Filipinos are still at high risk of coming down with one or more of these deadly diseases. More than one third of people aged 15 years and above in the Philippines — some 15.7 million children, women, and men — are smokers while over half of men and women aged 20 years old and above are binge drinkers. More than one in five people have high blood pressure and only half of the population does sufficient physical activity. The proportion of adults who are overweight or obese has doubled in the last 20 years, and obesity in children and teens is rising at an alarming rate. Over 90% of Filipino adults did not meet the WHO recommended intake of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day. About 30% of children suffer from stunting, a condition which further predisposes them to an increased risk for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease later in life.
Global support for a national challenge
To beat NCDs, we need urgent action. This is not a problem that can be solved by the health sector alone. It requires engagement at various levels of the government and from all relevant stakeholders. The World Health Organization (WHO) and other United Nations (UN) bodies together with the Convention Secretariat of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are working closely with the government to help the Philippines reach its target of reducing the number of premature deaths from NCDs by one third by 2030.
In recognition of the urgency of addressing this challenge, the UN secretary-general in 2013 established an Interagency Task Force on NCDs, led by WHO. The Task Force brings together more than 40 UN agencies, programs and funds to beat NCDs in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It coordinates activities by UN organizations, civil society and others to support national governments in implementing their high-level commitments on NCDs. The Task Force helps countries mobilize sectors within and, importantly, beyond health to address NCDs.
Members of the task force will visit the Philippines on 7-11 May 2018. They will work with the UN team based in the Philippines, and government authorities for health, education, finance, and trade to raise the priority of addressing NCDs as part of national sustainable development plans. Measures that will be recommended have the potential to save lives and reduce the cost to government and society of NCDs. These include implementing comprehensive tobacco control programs, regulating the marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children, introducing nutrition labelling, and promoting healthy diets and physical activity.
Joining with the members of the task force in this mission is the FCTC Convention Secretariat, which will identify key areas that need to be addressed in relation to FCTC implementation in the Philippines. It has been recommended to review and develop national tobacco control strategy and legislation, establish and finance multisectoral coordination mechanism, introduce policies and measures to prevent tobacco industry interference and continue to increase tobacco tax. One effective strategy to beat NCDs is to effectively implement the provisions of the FCTC in the country.
Political will and collective action are crucial to tackling NCDs and paving the way for a sustainable, more prosperous future for the Philippines. When people have the opportunity to live long healthy lives, they play an active role in the country’s development.
This commentary was originally published in Manila Bulletin