Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama. [Source: DINFO]

Fiji loses out on over $400 million a year in productivity and Fijians lose more than 264,000 years of healthy living due to non-communicable diseases.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama made the comments during the launch of a new initiative “Global Diabetes Compact” by the World Health Organization to bring structure and coherence to the collective efforts in the prevention of diabetes and bring the right care to those that need it.

Fiji is enlisted to this new initiative.

Bainimarama joined the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and representatives of the UN agencies, Government and Non-Government, civil society officials from around the world in launching the compact through a virtual platform.

The Prime Minister says non-communicable diseases like diabetes are the greatest health crisis faced by the Pacific people.

He says Fijians suffer from diabetes well above the global average.

Bainimarama says we must change hearts and minds across society by raising awareness about how to stop this disease from stealing so much from Fijians and we must ensure those who suffer from it can access the best care possible.

The Prime Minister says around 15% of Fiji’s population are diagnosed with a type of diabetes and that the real prevalence is likely much higher.

He adds the Government is equipping health facilities to offer better and more affordable healthcare to Fijians living with diabetes and other NCDs.