NATIONAL Referral Hospital has recorded an alarming increase in attendances and admissions in NCDs at the tertiary hospital level in 2023.
Minister of Health and Medical Services, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai confirmed in Parliament yesterday that this pattern starts at the primary and secondary care level of the health care system of the country.
The major NCDs concerns and diseases at the hospital are:
- general non-infective medical diseases,
- diabetes,
- heart,
- brain and other nervous systems diseases,
- kidney diseases including failures,
- cancer
The 2023 statistics records show hospital burden at the NRH as out of total 3,810 admission the Medical Ward;
- Gender: 56% (2,149) were male and 44% (1,661) were female.
- 69% of all (3,810) admissions were caused by NCDs.
- Heart diseases 20%;
- Diabetes 9%
- Kidney 4%
- Brain and central nervous systems 4%
- And 1% admission of cancer, which were mostly for palliative and diagnosis purposes.
Combining the two main adult wards, the Medical and Surgical department, and admissions due to diabetes accounts of 14% or 542 patients out total 3,996 together.
- Whilst 69% of admission in Medical Ward is NCD, in the surgical ward 60% of admissions were NCD related.
Furthermore, Dr Bosawai said the number sick patients attending cancer day cay clinic over-doubled by 85% in 2023.
He said the medical records documented additional 2,183 were seen in 2023 as compared to 382. It can be a recording issue but this pattern is alarmingly concerning.
In addressing the increasing pattern of NCD the hospital in line with MHMS is to in 3 ways;
- Create specific space, environment, facilities and technology to care and provide for the NCD sick patients.
- Staff development which includes equipping staff with advance knowledge and skills into advance techniques in managing and treating NCDs.
- Increasing services and supplies at the hospital.
Minister Bosawai said in improving health-care accessibility and availability to prevent NCD complications such as heart attack and stroke the Ministry of Health and Medical Services is committed to improve quality of care towards reducing mortality and morbidity among persons living with NCDs, especially diabetes, diabetic foot complications and hypertension to prevent NCD complications.
Therefore, the MHMS has set the following objectives and targets by 2026 and by 2030:
By December 2026, all Area Health Centers (AHC) in Honiara City Council (HCC), Guadalcanal, Malaita, and in Western province will have:
- 80% of patients coming to AHC needing diabetes screening are screened appropriately
- 80% of patients coming to AHC with pre-diabetes or new, established, or uncontrolled diabetes are managed appropriately.
- 50% of patients coming to AHC with low, moderate, high-risk, and active foot problems are managed appropriately.
Targets by 2030:
- 80% of patients coming to primary care clinics who meet diabetes screening criteria are screened appropriately.
- 80% of patients coming to primary care clinics with diabetes undergo diabetic foot screening.
- 80% of patients coming to primary care clinics with pre-diabetes or new, established, or uncontrolled diabetes are managed appropriately
- 80% of patients coming to primary care clinics with low, moderate, high-risk, and active foot problems are managed appropriately.
- 50% of people with hypertension have good control of hypertension.
“With these targets, we aim to prevent 262 cases of diabetic foot amputations per year by 2030, and 165 deaths prevented from disability due to amputation per year and 2,300 deaths averted by 2040, if we achieve 50% hypertension control.
“We aim also to expand this approach taken for diabetes to hypertension for other NCDs – cancer and chronic respiratory diseases (through stages in 2026 onwards),” he added.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara
