BY JOY OFASIA
DR. Paul Popora Bosawai, Minister for Health and Medical Services in Solomon Islands, revealed the growing health crisis facing the nation.
He warned that the nation is grappling with what he termed a “silent killer” – non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which have become a leading cause of hospitalization and death.
Dr. Bosawai highlighted the alarming statistics: seven out of every 10 patients admitted to the medical ward at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) suffer from NCD-related conditions, including diabetes, stroke, heart disease, and kidney complications. Diabetes alone accounts for 60% of all NCD-related admissions, with hypertension affecting another 40%.
The Health Minister stressed that the majority of diabetic patients are living with non-insulin dependent diabetes, a condition primarily linked to lifestyle choices such as poor diet, lack of exercise, and smoking.
The number of admissions for heart disease has also been on the rise, reflecting a broader trend of increasing cardiac conditions among the population. From 2018 to 2020, heart disease cases surged by 11%, with men being more affected than women,” he said at the official handover of the National Referral Hospital’s Comprehensive Medical Centre in Honiara last week in Honiara.
“These rising numbers are a direct reflection of unhealthy habits that have become more widespread in our communities,” Dr. Bosawai said. He pointed to the findings of the STEP survey, which assessed the country’s lifestyle behaviors, showing that many people are not taking sufficient steps to manage their health. The challenge, he explained, is not just diagnosing NCDs but properly managing and treating them, particularly as complications like kidney failure and heart disease continue to grow.
The opening of the new Comprehensive Medical Centre, funded by the People’s Republic of China, comes at a critical time. The state-of-the-art facility will offer specialized services for people suffering from NCD-related complications, especially heart and kidney diseases.
Dr. Bosawai believes the real solution lies in prevention, encouraging healthier lifestyles across the population.
“This facility is long overdue and will go a long way in providing much-needed care for our people,” he noted.
The Health Minister stressed that while the new medical centre will improve the level of care available locally, tackling the NCD epidemic requires a concerted effort across all sectors of society.
“It’s not just the health sector’s responsibility,” he said. “We all need to come together—government, private sector, communities, and families—to fight this crisis.”
Dr. Bosawai reaffirmed his ministry’s commitment to tackling NCDs head-on by expanding primary health care and prevention programs at the community level.
“Our goal is universal health coverage, where all our people can access the care they need, but that requires all of us to take action,” he noted.
While the new medical centre will offer specialized care, Dr. Bosawai believes the real solution lies in prevention, encouraging healthier lifestyles across the population.