Papua New Guinea’s rising burden of non-communicable diseases prompted a call for action by the nation’s health minister during a summit hosted at Pacific Adventist University (PAU).
Speaking at PAU’s third annual Lifestyle Medicine Symposium, on August 27-28, Dr Billy Joseph said prevention and primary healthcare must be central to the country’s health strategy.
The two-day gathering brought together a diverse group of health professionals, academics, church leaders, students and international partners under the theme “Habits That Heal: Transforming Health Through Lifestyle Medicine”.
Dr Joseph said combating NCDs cannot be left to the health sector alone, but required a unified response from the government, educational institutions, churches and local communities.
He commended PAU for pioneering localised solutions, pointing to the university’s ongoing pilot initiatives—including the ELIA 12-week Clinical Diabetes Lifestyle Program and ELIA 7-day Intensive Wellness Retreat—as important steps in understanding how lifestyle medicine can improve health in PNG.
PAU vice-chancellor Professor Lohi Matainaho reinforced this vision, noting that true wellbeing goes beyond merely treating or avoiding illness. Instead, he emphasised that lasting health is built on daily habits: proper nutrition, regular physical activity, adequate rest, stress management and robust community ties.
Dr Robin Oge, CEO of the National Capital District Provincial Health Authority, endorsed lifestyle medicine as a potent weapon against preventable conditions, reaffirming the authority’s dedication to early screening, community education and institutional partnerships.
“Pacific Adventist University has an exciting opportunity to be a leader in lifestyle medicine and help transform the health of the nation,” said Dr Geraldine Przybylko, director of Adventist Health for the South Pacific Division and executive director of ELIA Wellness.
“Through its wellness centre and strong collaboration with Adventist Health, ELIA Wellness and the 10,000 Toes Campaign, PAU is demonstrating how evidence-based lifestyle interventions can improve whole-person health and strengthen communities. Looking ahead, continued Lifestyle Medicine Symposiums, expanded partnerships and research focused on non-communicable diseases and mental health present an exciting opportunity to create meaningful and lasting change across Papua New Guinea and the Pacific.”
The symposium featured a strong line-up of local and international experts, including Dr Andrew Pennington, Dr Andrea Matthews, Dr Seth Fose, Dr Robert Jones, Olyne Sailo and Dina Paki. Sessions moved beyond theory, tackling practical applications such as repurposing traditional Papua New Guinean foods as medicine, strengthening mental health and adopting sustainable daily routines.
Reflecting on the success of the gathering, Dr Geraldine Lagani, medical director of the PAU Clinic, highlighted the critical need for localised research.
“I am passionate about lifestyle medicine and particularly interested in seeing more locally relevant research conducted to strengthen the evidence for its application in our communities,” she said.
The focus on putting lifestyle medicine into practice will continue at this year’s ELIA Wellness Summit, to be held October 16-18 in Nunawading, Melbourne.
With the theme “Refuelled. Renewed. Revived.”, the summit will bring together international keynote speakers Dr Zeno Charles-Marcel, health director at the General Conference, and Dr Katia Reinert, associate director, alongside experts in lifestyle medicine, whole-person health and mission.
The program will include CHIP Facilitator Training, a community ELIA Wellness Snapshot at Akoonah Park Market and a visit to the Mornington Peninsula Hot Springs. For more information and to register click on this link.
