-The average cost of one NCD admission ranges from $18,238 to $26,465.
-Diabetes, a major NCD, accounts for 20% of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) budget.
BY INDY MAEALASIA
THE growing rates of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are costly, placing a heavy financial burden on the Solomon Islands healthcare system, Prime Minister Jeremiah Manele warned.
“The healthcare costs of NCDs are substantial,” Manele said during the recent opening of the Comprehensive Medical Center (CMC).
He pointed out that diabetes, a major NCD, alone accounts for 20% of the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) budget.
Manele revealed that the average cost for one NCD admission ranges between $18,238 and $26,465.
“The cost of cardiovascular disease, heart disease, per patient is estimated to be $82,000. The cost of amputation per patient is $58,300, while the cost for treating foot ulcers is $20,000,” Manele added.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health Paul Bosawai stated that seven out of ten patients at the National Referral Hospital (NRH) are suffering from some form of NCD-related condition, including diabetes, stroke, and heart and kidney diseases.
According to the minister, since 2018, diabetes has accounted for around 60% of the NCD cases admitted to the NRH, with hypertension making up the remaining 40%.
There has also been a notable rise in essential hypertension cases, which have no known causes.
Bosawai said that the majority of diabetes cases admitted are linked to non-insulin-dependent diabetes, which is largely lifestyle-related.
He cited health statistics showing a growing concern about heart disease in the community.
“The number of admissions reflects an increasing trend in cardiac or heart disease between 2018 and 2020. There was an 11% increase, from 525 cases in 2018 to 583 cases in 2020, recorded at the National Referral Hospital. These cases are affecting more men than women,” Bosawai added.
The health minister alluded that the increase in NCD cases is “tied closely” to unhealthy habits in the population, as highlighted in the STEP Survey of 2015-2023.
Despite these challenges, the SBD $90 million Comprehensive Medical Center (CMC) is seen as a vital milestone in the country’s fight against NCDs.
“The clinical challenge today is the proper management of diagnosed NCD cases. I am indeed grateful that this new comprehensive health center has come at the right time, although long overdue. It is a facility that will assist our doctors in treating NCD complications, particularly those related to the kidney and heart,” Bosawai stated.
Meanwhile, Manele said the government has increased the 2025 MHMS budget to ensure the CMC operates effectively.
“To provide increased capacity for this new facility to operate effectively, my government has increased the 2025 budget allocation for the procurement of drugs and supplies by SBD $70,375,000, bringing the total budget to SBD $127,346,573 for 2025,” he said.
“This budget will ensure we no longer run out of medicines in the Solomon Islands once all the procurements are made this year,” he added.
Manele noted that the center will provide additional space, modern medical devices and technology, and new specialist knowledge and skills for the secondary prevention of NCDs.
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