National Policy to fight NCDs
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
The Health Ministry is formulating a National Policy on Non
Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Around 71 percent of deaths occur in state
hospitals due to NCDs such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood
pressure, cancer, or related complications, Health Ministry sources
said.
The sources said Sri Lankans' salt and sugar intake are high compared
with World Health Organization (WHO) standards.
A person requires to consume less than five grams of salt per day. A
Sri Lankan consumes 10 to 15 grams of salt per day. A person needs to
consume less than 10 grams of sugar per day but a Sri Lankan consumes 60
to 75 grams of sugar per day.
This leads to increased blood pressure. Around 82 percent of adults
over the age of 40 do not consume the required amount of fruits and
vegetables per day, the sources said.
Many have higher Body Mass Index (BMI) value than the required value.
Many do not exercise. A healthy person needs to exercise 600 metabolic
minutes per week.
Around 30 percent of women and 19 percent of men do not get the
required amount of exercise.
The Health Ministry appointed a committee to handle NCDs at district
level.
Special NCD units are to be set up at Divisional Secretariats next
year.
The government allocated Rs 900 million to control NCDs in the next
three years in addition to the annual budgetary allocation for the
health sector. |