Health and trade policies

Coherence between Pacific trade and health policy needed to combat NCDs

RNZ reports heart disease, cancers, lung disease and diabetes are the leading causes of death in the Pacific with most countries losing their productive citizens to NCDs.

The United Nations Development Programme's Ferdinand Strobel says health and trade interests in the region are often developed in silos and end up undermining each other’s' efforts.

He said with the right legal framework they could be made to work together to help in the fight against NCDs.