A director from the Pacific Community says government leadership and legislative change can help resolve the non-communicable disease crisis that exists in the region.
In 2011 Pacific leaders said that 75 percent of all adult deaths in the Pacific were due to NCDs.
The SPC's Director of Public Health, Paula Vivili, said the region had made inroads in recent years with the implementation of taxes on items like tobacco.
The SPC's director of Public Health Paul Vivili. Photo: RNZ Pacific/ Koroi Hawkins
Dr Vivili said seven countries in the Pacific have also recently introduced sugar taxes.
"And in one of the countries, a tax that has resulted in the price of fizzy drinks almost doubling," he said.
"One of the things that happens in some of the Pacific countries is when people come for funerals they get offered goods in return and [it sometimes] includes fizzy drinks.
"I'm told in this particular country, there's more water being given back to the people," Dr Vivili said.
"This is a classic example of where your legislative policy is impacting practice."
