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Ammon News - A conference organized by the Ministry of Health and the Royal Health Awareness Society (RHAS), in cooperation with the World Diabetes Foundation (WDF), kicked off on Monday in Amman to promote the integration of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) into primary health care.

Director of the ministry's Primary Health Care Department Riyadh Shayyab, who opened the two-day conference on behalf of Minister Firas Hawari, said non-communicable diseases were responsible for more than three quarters of deaths in Jordan, according to results of the Jordan National STEPwise Survey (STEPs) of noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors, issued in 2019.

He added the conference stresses the need for cooperation between stakeholders to combat such diseases and learn from challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pointing to the ministry's plans to fight and prevent diseases, he called for a healthy lifestyle to reduce the risks of being diagnosed with arterial hypertension and diabetes.

Jakob Madsen, Senior Advisor at WDF, urged providing tests required for an early diagnosis, as "this problem cannot be solved without accurate data," and educating the public on non-communicable diseases.

Deputizing for World Health Organization (WHO) representative in Jordan Jamela Al-Raiby, Dr. Bassem Zayed said 70 percent of global deaths are caused by chronic diseases, adding that WHO supports the ministry and partners' efforts in this regard.

Director General of RHAS Amal Ireifij said the conference seeks to achieve its objectives by examining interventions, challenges, and gaps in the file of non-communicable diseases.

During the conference, topics such as risk factors, preventive care, health justice, access to noncommunicable disease intervention programs and services, and lessons learned from the Coronavirus pandemic will be raised under three main focus areas: clinic-based, school-based and community-based intervention programs.