Non Communicable Disease Unit

Ministry of Health

No. 385, Rev. Baddegama Wimalawansa Thero Mawatha

Colombo 10.

01000

Sri Lanka

Up to 80% of cases of coronary heart disease, and up to 90% of cases of types 2 diabetes, could potentially be avoided through changing lifestyle factors. One-third of cancers could be avoided by healthy diet, maintaining normal weight, and engaging in exercise throughout life. It has been estimated that in high-risk populations, an optimum fish consumption of 40–60 grams per day would lead to approximately a 50% reduction in death from coronary heart disease. Daily intake of fresh fruit and vegetables in adequate quantity (400-500g) is recommended to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease,

stroke and high blood pressure.

Non communicable diseases (NCDs) kill

more than 36 million people each year.

Nearly 80% of NCD deaths - 29 million -

occur in low- and middle-income

countries.

Sidney C. Smith, Jr. M.D,

President Elect, World Heart Federation

Non Communicable Diseases are rising in the South East Asian region including Sri Lanka

due to socioeconomic, epidemiological and demographic transition; aging of the population,

urbanization and lifestyle changes.

Coronary artery diseases, essential hypertension,

stroke, diabetes mellitus, asthma, chronic

obstructive pulmonary diseases and all cancers

patients admitted to government hospitals are in

upward trend…..

NCD

Among all NCDs, Cardiovascular Diseases,

Diabetes, Cancers and Chronic Respiratory

Diseases are now the leading causes of mortality

29.6%, 9.4%, 3.9% and 8.5% respectively.

Large proportion of adults (82%) do not

consume adequate amount of vegetables. The

daily intake of salt (10g /day) and added

sugar (60g/day ) is also high in Sri Lankan.

Management of NCD is costly due to need of

lifelong treatment and long stay in the

hospitals. Compared to the developed

countries NCD deaths disproportionately

higher in 40-60 age group in developing

countries.

The prevalence of (current) smoking among adult

males is 22.8% (Ministry of Health, 2008). The

majority of Sri Lankans consume moderate amount

of fat, and it comprises from saturated fat. .

Compiled by Dr. Thalatha Liyanage

These diseases are mostly

preventable by avoiding

common shared risk factors;

smoking, use of alcohol,

unhealthy diet and lack of

physical activity. They can be

managed by early detection,

treatment and promoting healthy

lifestyle.

Hence it’s a huge burden to the family,

society and the country at large due to high

economic loss. Promoting healthy lifestyles

could prevent NCDs and ensure healthy

aging by lowering disability. aging by

Hospital

statistics

shows 71%

of all

annual

deaths in

Sri Lanka

are due to

chronic

NCDs

Vol.01 No. 01 11th

August 2012

Live Discharges of Non Communicable Diseases from

government hospitals in Sri Lanka (2004 – 2008) Source: Annual Health Bulletin

1500 CDs distributed for exercise promotion

in schools and workplaces

Healthy Lifestyle Centre

Donation of vehicles by JICA to improve Non Communicable Diseases Prevention programme

Dayata Kirula Exhibition in Anuradhapura

2012

To

Key features of the NATA Act

� Sale of tobacco and alcohol

products to any person less thatn

21 years of age

� Promotion of brands associated

with tobacco and alcohol

� Advertising tobacco and alcohol

� Smoking in public enclosed areas

Punishment varies according to the

offence: Fine or imprisonment.

(National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No. 27 of 2006)

With the initiative of the Ministry of Health, MoH and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) jointly commenced the Project on Health Promotion

and Preventive Measures of Chronic NCDs, in May 2008. The objective of this five

year project is to develop an “effective and efficient implementation models to prevent and control NCDs” with following four strategies: (1) identify Risk

factors of cardiovascular diseases through the Ragama Health Study, (2) formulate intervention guidelines, manuals and tools, (3) confirm institutional,

technical and financial feasibilities of NPP model through pilot implementation, and (4) develop island wide implementation plan based on the evidence.

Listen to Suwasaraniya

on every Tuesday 6.30 pm

Sinhala National Service

Sri Lanka Broad Casting Corporation

This is the first issue of NCD quarterly

newsletter. Dissemination of information on

NCD prevention and control activities

mediated by the NCD Unit, Ministry of Health

is the main objective of this document. NCD

situation, recent success stories and plans

are presented in this issue. Your comments

are highly appreciated for further

improvement of the newsletter.

Dr. Anura Jayasinghe Consultant Community Physician NCD Unit. Ministry of Health

Over 300 Healthy Lifestyle Centres have been established throughout the

island to provide health guidance, screening, basic treatments, referral and

follow-up of people between 35-65 years of age.

Tobacco use is strongest

risk factor for main non

communicable diseases.

Prevalence of tobacco use

over 15 years (in male &

female) is 22.8% & 0.3%

respectively (STEP

Surveillance Sri Lanka

2007). Tobacco control

activities are being carried

out in the country on par

with the WHO Frame work

Convention on Tobacco

Control (FCTC) signed on

23rd September 2003.

Email: ncdunit@gmail.com

Telephone/Fax: 0112669599

Healthy Lifestyle Centres are conducted by

Medical Officers, Registered Medical

Officers and supportive staff.

Screening for behavioural risk factors such

as tobacco use, alcohol use, unhealthy diet,

physical inactivity and biological risk

factors such as overweight and obesity,

raised blood pressure and raised blood

glucose are carried out for the early

detection of non-communicable diseases.

• Sri Lanka Medical Association: NCD Subcommittee

• Board of study: Community Medicine

• Sri Lanka CODEX committee

• NATA

• Parliament Select Committee to look into alarming increase of road

traffic accident

Unhealthy diet is a major modifiable risk

factor, strongly associates with biological

risk factors of overweight and obesity,

raised blood pressure, raised blood

glucose and abnormal blood lipids.

Training programmes are being

conducted by the NCD Unit to train the

key preventive and curative healthcare

staff on the nutritional aspect of NCD.

The NPP model consists of 4 steps namely (1) raise public awareness for NCD prevention, (2)

detect risk factors through basic screening, (3) provide health guidance and follow up support

for high risk groups, and (4) empower community through health promotion. Through

pilot implementation, 12,114 people in

Kurunegala and 4,006 in Polonnaruwa were screened and given health guidance/follow up

supports accordingly. Many manuals and tools such as health check-up manual, flip charts,

guidebook for flip chart users, posters, stickers, physical exercise manuals and DVD, health

promotion resource book were produced and distributed to many stakeholders. During the

final year, NPP will finalize guidelines and

manuals for island wide implementation.

Compiled by Ms Keiko Nishino, NPP,JICA

Non-communicable disease

unit is implementing and

monitoring the tobacco and

alcohol control activities

though district focal points.

National Authority on

Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA)

is functioning as the advisory

body to the Government on

the implementation of the

National Authority on

Tobacco and Alcohol Act, No.

27 of 2006.

District Tobacco Control Cells

(DTCC) have been established

island-wide by NATA to

coordinate and monitor the

implementation of the NATA Act.

Compiled by Dr. Anura Jayasinghe

Rapid socio demographic and

economic changes in the country

have influenced on the NCD risk factors and diseases prevalence.

This information is timely and important to refer policy makers to

plan effective programs for prevention and control of NCD. An

island-wide survey to identify NCD

risk factors will be conducted by the NCD Unit in 2012

Tobacco kills up to half of its

users.

One person dies every six

seconds in the world due to

tobacco.

Workshop on Tobacco Cessation. 3rd & 4th May 2011 @ Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research & Training Institute

NCD Screening @ Workplace, Ministry of Health,

Suwasiripaya 2010

Memberships of National Authority on Tobacco

and Alcohol Committee

Introduction of healthy food in “2012 Sinhala Hindu Aluth Avurudu” celebration.

Ministry of Health, Suwasiripaya

Community Education on Healthy life

Introduction of exercise in

community health promotion

programme in Kurunegala