Kyle Patrick Camilleri<a href='https://ads.independent.com.mt/www/delivery/ck.php?n=afef72b0&cb=37' target='_blank'><img data-src='https://ads.independent.com.mt/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=22&cb=37&n=afef72b0' border='0' alt='' /></a>The Ministry for Health launched its Non-Communicable Diseases Prevention Framework on Friday morning. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are defined as chronic diseases, typically of long duration, that are not infectious and arise from a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental, and behavioural factors. Health Minister Jo Etienne Abela said that as this prevention framework has been launched, the government will retain its focus on investing in treatment. This framework also lists several enablers of NCD prevention, with each one also including its own set of policy recommendations. The fourth NCD prevention enabler is to re-orient health systems for prevention.