MOH Minister Stevenson Kuartei said in an interview that they are going to build the center to support a community-based chronic disease prevention program.
“We have already started working on this,” the Minister said. “The concept paper has already been written, and we are asking technical people to put the report together. We will also seek support from the Office of the President.”
Kuartei said they plan to start the program before the year ends.
Kuartei has also met with Chairman of Health and Education Committee Sen. Regina Mesebeluu and Del. Kalistus Ngirturong to discuss the NCD issue, and Kuartei said the Olbiil Era Kelulau is very supportive.
“Life Center is a one-stop shop for healthy lifestyle,” Kuartei said “We will have this facility where you can learn how to cook healthy food, do physical activities, learn about substance abuse (alcohol and tobacco),” he added.
The facility will be open for everyone. “If there are community members that are really obese, they can come to the center and a diet will be recommended for them. They can stick with it and try to look at weight loss programs,” Kuartei said.
Although the MOH will facilitate the center at first, Kuartei said their goal is to have the community, a non-government organization, man the center. They also want students to take part in the center, rotating to work there every year.
MOH is also putting together a resolution to address the burden of NCD in the country.
“The draft also includes a very strong recommendation to make the current breastfeeding law more implementable, to encourage the passage of tobacco law, to support the chew-free zone for the MOH, and lastly to support content taxing on fat, sugar, salt and seasonings,” Kuartei explained.
During the Pacific Island Health Officers Associations meeting in February, they declared lifestyle diseases or NCD as a state of emergency, an epidemic that is sweeping Palau and the rest of Pacific.
//
