Curbing non communicable diseases:

National plan to be drafted

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

A three-year national plan will be drafted to control Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) the country as stated in the Mahinda Chinthana - Vision for the Future, a health Ministry spokesman said yesterday.

He said Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena held a discussion with all Medical officers of health, Provincial Health Directors and officials attached to the NCD Unit of the ministry in connection with drafting the three-year plan. It was proposed to appoint one health officer on NCD to every district and set up three counselling centres in each district. Medical equipment for 70 such centres have been provided.

NCDs are on the rise since the recent past. High rate of NCDs is one of the major problems faced by developed countries in the world. Even rural areas of the country are in danger. Advanced health care system and growing elderly population, changes in food habits and lifestyle and stress are some of the main reasons for this, he said.

Around 350 persons die from NCDs in the country daily. Around 150 of them die from heart attacks and another 40 die from strokes. Annually 15,000 become victims of cancer. The Government spends around Rs 900 million to treat patients suffer from NCD in a year, he added.