Non-communicable diseases have become the Number One cause of deaths in Thailand with more than 300,000 fatalities each year most of whom males, said Public Health Minister Ratchata Ratchatanavin on Tuesday.

Addressing the opening of the NCD forum 2015 held today at Muang Thong Thani, the public health minister disclosed that the medical bills for the treatment of NCDs were estimated at about 198 billion baht which is equivalent to 2.2 percent of the GDP. NCDs, he said, are regarded as an obstacle to development of this country.

Of all the NCDs, heart diseases and stroke accounted for the most fatalities followed by cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes.

The minister blamed the global change of lifestyle with more dependence on technology and less exercises and overweight for the rapid spread of NCDs.

However, he said that NCDs are preventable with effective health service system which is easily accessible to all alike and effective publicity campaign targeting risk groups.

The minister stressed the need of a law to push forward the prevention and control of NCDs. The ministry, he said, aims to cut the death rate from NCDs by 25 percent in ten years, 30 percent reduction in the consumption of salty food, 30- percent reduction in cigarette smoking, 10 percent drop in alcoholic consumption and 80 percent accessible to medication.

NCDs are No 1 killer disease in Thailand with over 300,000 deaths each year - Thai PBS English News