Papua New Guinea- Ban on Lamb imports.

A prominent Papua New Guinean cardiologist says banning a popular but fatty type of meat would reduce the country’s sky-rocketing rate of heart disease.

MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham says he will introduce a bill into PNG Parliament this week banning the importation and selling of lamb flaps.

The cut of meat is almost pure fat and Mr Maxtone-Graham says its consumption has contributed to the dramatic rise in heart disease in PNG over the last decade.

Professor Isi Kevau from the Buri Kidu Heart Institute says it is a huge problem.

"When I came into the medical school about 40 years ago, we didn’t see anybody with heart attacks," he said.

"But say from 1980 onwards we now see a lot of Papua New Guineans who come in coronary artery disease either dropping dead or coming in with typical symptoms of acute heart attack".