To stem the non-communicable diseases crisis in Wallis and Futuna, community leaders intend declaring public community areas smoke-free.
Wallis & Futuna Photo: AFP
They also plan to cultivate gardens to promote the consumption of healthy local foods, while sugar-sweetened beverages and alcohol will be excluded from community gatherings.
These are among the outcomes of the first-ever joint mission to Wallis and Futuna by the Pacific Community (SPC) and World Health Organisation (WHO) to support the national health agency's efforts to scale-up action on NCDs.
Over 42 percent of adults in the territory use tobacco regularly, while hypertension affects more than 34 percent of adults - the second highest rate in the Pacific.
Last week's mission by the SPC and WHO centred on building support for a multi-sectoral approach to addressing NCDs.
