In Thailand, authorities advocate for a law addressing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) due to over 1,000 daily deaths from such chronic conditions.

In Thailand, authorities advocate for a law addressing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) due to over 1,000 daily deaths from such chronic conditions.

Battling Daily NCD Deaths: Thailand's Health Ministry Tacks On

Last Monday, Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin chaired a meeting at the Ministry of Public Health to advance a new national action plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for the years 2023-2027. He underlined the government's determination to combat NCDs, a leading cause of untimely deaths, sickness, and disability, and a considerable threat to national productivity and economic development.

Daily Death Toll Climbs

Thailand records over 400,000 NCD-related deaths yearly, equating to more than 1,000 deceases daily, accounting for 81% of all deaths. Their origins stem from behavioral, environmental, and metabolic risk factors. The Ministry emphasizes that national strategies and measures to reduce NCDs require collaboration from various sectors to empower individuals to manage their health.

The committee approved the nationwide 'Slim Down, Stop NCDs' policy, aligning with each agency's mission. The objective is to decrease untimely deaths and the associated economic burden on individuals, families, society, and the nation. A sub-committee will also be established to oversee the implementation of the 2023-2027 national action plan for NCD prevention and control, ensuring concrete progress.

Slight Improvement Yet Challenges Remain

Dr Panumas Yanawetsakul, Director-General of the Department of Disease Control, pointed out that Thailand is on track with nine global NCD reduction targets. Current estimates show a slight decrease in the likelihood of NCD-related premature death, from 14.8% in 2010 to 14.6% in 2022, with the target for 2025 set at 11.07%.

Select indicators exhibiting minor improvement include per capita alcohol consumption, average annual sodium intake, and smoking prevalence. However, several key indicators are off-target, such as the prevalence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity. These issues pose ongoing difficulties that warrant support from all ministries, the private sector, and civil society.

Stronger NCD Response

To strengthen the national response, the Department of Disease Control has devised a three-pronged strategy for the 2023-2027 NCD action plan:

1. Smart NCD Network - Collaborate across sectors to manage NCDs effectively.
2. NCD Health Literacy - Raise awareness, cultivate understanding, and promote healthy habits nationwide.
3. NCD Ecosystem - Foster enabling environments through collaborative efforts between the state, private sector, local communities, and the public to encourage healthy lifestyles and self-care.

The Ministry has also drafted the Non-Communicable Diseases Act. This Act aims to protect and promote the health of individuals vulnerable to or affected by NCDs. The draft has been publically consulted and is currently under review by the Public Health Minister before being submitted to the Cabinet and later the National Assembly for consideration.

Dr Jos Vandelaer, the World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Thailand, emphasized that NCDs represent a major global health burden necessitating immediate attention and collaborative management. He emphasized that these diseases are largely avoidable through national policies that shield the public from key risk factors like reducing tobacco use and alcohol consumption, promoting physical activity, and encouraging healthy diets.

He underscored the need for strong political leadership, policy coherence, and inter-ministerial coordination to ensure effective NCD prevention and control, signifying that collaboration between ministries is crucial for success.

Three Fundamentals of NCD Prevention and Control

Assistant Secretary-General of the National Health Commission Somkiat Pitakkamolporn stressed the NCD Ecosystem approach's importance, which entails working across sectors beyond health to encourage behavior change and create supportive conditions for healthy living.

He noted that the National Health Commission meeting had endorsed a specific health assembly resolution aimed at fostering physical and social environments to reduce NCDs. The resolution outlines the development of five supporting systems and mechanisms that will enable five core prevention and control measures.

These measures are predicated upon three key underpinnings:

• Behavioral economics
• Fiscal mechanisms
• Social credit systems

These principles aim to facilitate seamless policy coherence and solid political leadership across ministries, ensuring inter-ministerial coordination crucial for successful NCD prevention and control. The framework is now being submitted to the Cabinet for approval, aligned with Thailand's 2023-2027 national NCD prevention and control action plan.

Simultaneously, pilot projects have been launched in various regions across multiple provinces to localize and implement community-led actions under this approach[1][2].

TAGS* Health & Wellness* Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)* Department of Disease Control* Public Health Ministry* National Health Commission* World Health Organization (WHO)* Inter-ministerial Coordination* Multisectoral Collaboration* Health Policy Development

1. The public health minister underscored the government's commitment to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs), a leading cause of untimely deaths, sickness, and disability.
2. Over 400,000 NCD-related deaths occur yearly in Thailand, accounting for more than 1,000 daily deaths.
3. The origins of these deaths stem from behavioral, environmental, and metabolic risk factors.
4. The Ministry emphasizes the need for collaboration from various sectors to empower individuals to manage their health.
5. The committee approved the 'Slim Down, Stop NCDs' policy, with the objective of decreasing untimely deaths and the associated economic burden.
6. A sub-committee will oversee the implementation of the 2023-2027 national action plan for NCD prevention and control.
7. Thailand is on track with nine global NCD reduction targets but faces ongoing difficulties in areas like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity.
8. The Department of Disease Control has proposed a three-pronged strategy for the 2023-2027 NCD action plan, focusing on smart NCD networking, health literacy, and creating an NCD ecosystem.
9. The Non-Communicable Diseases Act has been drafted to protect and promote the health of individuals vulnerable to or affected by NCDs.
10. The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative to Thailand stresses the need for national policies that protect the public from risk factors like reducing tobacco use and alcohol consumption, promoting physical activity, and encouraging healthy diets.
11. Strong political leadership, policy coherence, and inter-ministerial coordination are crucial for effective NCD prevention and control.
12. The National Health Commission meeting endorsed a resolution aimed at fostering physical and social environments to reduce NCDs, outlining the development of five supporting systems and mechanisms.
13. These mechanisms are based on three key principles: behavioral economics, fiscal mechanisms, and social credit systems.
14. The three principles aim to facilitate seamless policy coherence and solid political leadership across ministries.
15. Pilot projects have been launched in various regions to localize and implement community-led actions under this approach.
16. Effective management of NCDs requires collaboration from the health sector, lifestyle factors, politics, science, workplace wellness, and various other domains.
17. Preventing and controlling chronic diseases such as chronic kidney disease, COPD, type-2 diabetes, and cancer is a primary focus of the national action plan.
18. Nutrition, aging, and mental health are also key areas addressed in the national action plan, including/affecting women's health, men's health, skin care, and sexual health.
19. Collaborative therapies and treatments, including medical-conditions management, digital health interventions, and medicare services, are essential elements of the national action plan.

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