Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad says stakeholders must move quickly to fight non-communicable diseases in the country.

The Deputy Prime Minister stated that the coalition government has allocated a total of $655,000 for outreach and awareness programs alone in the 2023–2024 Budget for various public health programs.

He says this is an increase of $171,500 from the last financial year.

Finance Minister, Professor Biman Prasad.

Prasad says many years have been wasted already, focusing on controlling the impacts in a half-hearted manner rather than taking decisive steps to prevent them.

He says the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, through its very welcome and strategic ‘Wellness Concept’, will continue to advocate for and create awareness about cancer prevention and control programs while fighting the increase in NCDs.