According to the latest Asian Development Bank Economic Outlook for Asia and the Pacific, Pacific countries have the highest comorbidity rates in the world.
The report stated that the Central Pacific region has a high rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and obesity, “primarily due to the heavy use of tobacco and the consumption of processed foods that contain a lot of sodium and sugar.”
In 2022, the adult obesity rate was 70% in Nauru and 64% in Tuvalu. For children, the obesity rates were 33% in Nauru and 30% in Tuvalu. In Kiribati, NCDs are responsible for 54% of all deaths among adults aged 30 to 70.
The report stated that the challenges in the comorbidity rates are compounded by the geographic and resource limitations in the region that restrict effective health service delivery in the Central Pacific.
“Although governments in these countries provide free universal healthcare, service delivery can be erratic due to inadequate and deteriorating health infrastructure,” the report stated.
The report also highlighted the insufficient supply of skilled medical professionals in the region and the challenges facing the small, scattered populations of Kiribati and Tuvalu in accessing limited healthcare resources.
The report stated that funding for overseas medical referrals (OMR) significantly increased in Nauru and Tuvalu during 2022 and 2023, reaching levels much higher than historical averages.
In 2024, however, the budgets for overseas medical referrals were reduced in both Nauru and Tuvalu, while Kiribati saw an increase in its OMR budget. The expenditures for these programs depend on revenue from unpredictable sources, such as fishing license fees. Additionally, OMR often consumes a large portion of any available resources. (By: Bernadette Carreon)