Jale Daucakacaka 
Opposition MP Naisau Tuinaceva (left), Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu.
The increase in excise tax on alcohol and tobacco (five percent) and carbonated and sugar products indicates government’s intent to tackle the non-communicable disease crisis in Fiji.
This is the view of Minister for Health Dr Atonio Lalabalavu, who in his budget response in Parliament says NCDs remain the number one cause of sickness and premature death in our population.
Lalabalavu says the increase in budget allocation for NCD from $150,000 to $350,000 is crucial for the ministry’s programs to address what he calls the “silent epidemic”.
“This increase is important to ensure that we are able to implement our action plans for non-communicable diseases, as well as engage effectively with our health partners who are supporting us in this battle.”
Opposition MP Naisau Tuinaceva says the $350,000 allocated to address NCDs is unrealistic and uncompassionate as it accounts for 80 percent of total deaths in Fiji each year, costing the economy approximately $400 million.
“To me, that means majority of our society are sickly due to NCDs, it can also mean that 66 percent of our population are not 100 percent productive because of NCDs, yet only 0.7 percent of the budget allocation is given to NCDs under public health for prevention and control purposes.”
Tuinaceva adds recent World Health Organization statistics state that 66 percent of the population is overweight and someone gets a limb amputated every eight hours due to NCDs.
According to Lalabalavu, NCDs are the leading cause of 70 to 80 percent of total deaths in Fiji, while premature mortality accounts for 30 to 40 percent of all NCD-related deaths in the country.
