First year students at the University of the South Pacific have been warned of the dangers of Non-Communicable Disease if they don’t look after themselves.

President Major General Jioji Konrote advised the first year students at the 2016 USP Orientation highlighting that NCDs are creating havoc in the Pacific.

More than four thousand new students walked into the USP gates yesterday and according to Major General Konrote, they are all at risk from Non-Communicable Diseases.

“The linkage of NCD’S to you as a student is very clear: to succeed at university and life, you must be healthy. The definition encompasses spiritual, physical, mental and social well being. Unfortunately, almost all countries in the Pacific are suffering from NCDs. I advised that NCDs account for 80 percent of deaths for some countries in the Pacific, including here in Fiji. This is an alarming phenomenon which must be addressed and stopped.”

First year Kiribati student, So-Bong Tonga says being at USP for the first time is a challenge.

For Solomon Islander Allen Waitara, coming to the Laucala campus in Suva is all about being independent.