‘Community-driven alliance needed in fight versus NCDs’

The Commonwealth Healthcare Corp. wants to create a community-driven alliance that will take the lead in the fight against the spread of non-communicable diseases but the group should also not supplant previous and existing campaigns against NCDs, according to Dr. Daniel Lamar on Monday.

Lamar said that a series of meetings have already been held among different organizations and community leaders in an effort to create this alliance against NCDs in the Commonwealth. There will be a similar meeting today, Feb. 22, at the Multi-Purpose Center, at 6:30pm. The public is invited.

An NCD Plan of Action that was crafted in 2009 was disseminated to participants at a recent roundtable discussion. Titled “Just Do It,” the 27-page document outlines the specific campaigns and plans of action against non-communicable diseases within the five-year period from 2009 to 2013.

Lamar said this master plan was developed by health professionals and community leaders years ago but was never enforced for many reasons, among them the recent reorganization of the former Department of Public Health and the lack of enough funds.

“Our goal now is to create something that is not solely dependent on a government agency to make it happen, something that is community-led and community-driven,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Since the action plan still has viable recommendations against NCDs, Lamar said this may still be adopted by the new alliance, with possible revisions and recreation of the whole document. “We are not tied to that [plan], but we will use it as a framework to move forward,” he said.

NCD burden

According to the NCD action plan, the Top 5 chronic diseases that cause death and disability in the Commonwealth are cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, renal disease, and diabetes—with the rates of diabetes and obesity among highest in the world.

The action plan indicates that cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke) accounted for 21 percent of all deaths in 2010; the leading causes of death (cancer and heart disease) accounted for 24 percent of all deaths in 2010; while deaths from heart disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes accounted for 42 percent of all deaths in 2008.

Cancer was identified as the leading cause of death in 2008-2010, accounting for 12.5 percent of all deaths. It was also disclosed that half of all deaths in 2010 were caused by chronic disease or a result of risk factors.

“There is a great need to address the primary risk factors of NCDs in the CNMI and these mainly include unhealthy eating, physical inactivity, tobacco, and substance abuse. Through health promotion action by relevant stakeholders, the community and individuals are to be strengthened in their capacity to take ownership and increase control over these risk behaviors,” the action plan states.