Colin Tukuitonga Photo: Twitter
The head of the Pacific Community says the region is on the back foot when it comes to confronting what he calls the "double-headed" crisis of climate change and non-communicable diseases.
Colin Tukuitonga said climate change was affecting fish stocks and crops, which was increasingly driving communities to eat fatty processed foods like corned beef and noodles.
That was compounding the current crisis levels of non-communicable diseases like diabetes.
The Pacific was playing catch-up on both, Dr Tukuitonga said.
"We're not making the kinds of impact that we should be making. Reducing the threat of NCDs or controlling NCDs in the Pacific and the resources currently dedicated to it is like trying to turn the Titanic with a waka paddle - we're not doing anywhere enough of what's needed in order to have an impact," he said.
Mr Tukuitonga said much more investment was needed, with several countries spending less than five percent of their GDP on their healthcare.
