Non-communicable diseases in the Caribbean
Regional Status Report Launch: The Response to NCDs in the Caribbean Community
(Port of Spain, Trinidad & Bridgetown, Barbados) A major step towards the reduction of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs) was made today with the launch of the Regional Status Report on NCDs in the Caribbean at the NCD Child Conference, Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. The report, sponsored by the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), was prepared by a team led by Professor Nigel Unwin of the Faculty of Public Health UWI, Cave Hill Campus. Professor Sir Trevor Hassell, President of the HCC, reported “What we have done is to assess actions that have been taken since the Heads of Government of CARICOM met in a seminal meeting here in Port of Spain in 2007 and issued the declaration of POS: uniting to stop the epidemic of NCDs, and since the UN High Level Meeting (UNHLM) on chronic diseases in 2011. As far as we know this is the first occasion that a review has been undertaken regionally by a civil society organisation to determine the response to chronic diseases in the Caribbean.” The 80 page report provides an assessment of what has been achieved, what has not been achieved, and advocates from a civil society perspective for what needs to be done to slow the epidemic of NCDs which is resulting in more than 7 out of every 10 deaths and has the potential to be a major barrier to development.
The main findings of the report are:
1. The Caribbean Region has played a significant role globally in advancing the response to NCDs.
2. Governments of the Region have for the most part accepted the concept that in order to effectively tackle the chronic diseases since they are lifestyle diseases all sectors of the society and all departments of government need to be involved and play their part.
3. Caribbean Wellness Day, which came out of the POS Declaration, has contributed to wide stakeholder involvement in the response to chronic disease.
4. Civil Society, especially health NGOs, continue to play a major role in the Caribbean especially in provision of services, fund raising, outreach and education about chronic diseases.
5. All but one CARICOM country has ratified the a WHO international treaty known as the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and some countries have enacted legislation in support of mandates of the treaty.
6. There are no national policies against advertising of unhealthy foods to children, or against the harmful use of alcohol.
7. No CARICOM country has national policies or major initiatives aimed at reducing salt intake of the population, which has been shown to reduce blood pressure, which are a major problem among Caribbean people and a major cause of heart disease.
8. Health systems in CARICOM provide services for NCDs in most CARICOM countries, with most of them providing medications at highly subsidized cost at point of delivery for NCDs. But some weaknesses identified in health systems included, lack of equipment for management of certain lung conditions, absence of some drugs such as tamoxifen, and lack of well-established rehabilitative services.
Report advocates for some important actions that need to be taken:
1. Banning (or at the very least limiting) the marketing of energy dense, high salt, foods and beverages to children;
2. Promoting reduction in salt consumption and reduction in consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (including fruit juices);
3. Banning the use/sale of transfats;
4. Establishment of regional standards for clear, consistent, food labelling;
5. Development of policies on physical activity; and development, implementation and monitoring of national strategies on the promotion of physical activity
6. Development of policies on reduction in harm from alcohol: development, implementation and monitoring of national strategies on the reduction in harm from alcohol.
7. Use of up to date regionally derived evidence based guidelines for the treatment and management of chronic diseases,
8. All residents within CARICOM countries/territories have access to basic defined packages of NCD care irrespective of their ability to pay.
9. Development and implementation of a framework for standardising the treatment of hypertension using available core medications.
10. Application of the chronic care model in the provision of primary health care services in countries.
11. NCDs to be fully addressed within national development plans.
12. Opportunities sought for multi-stakeholder approach to the response to NCDs by engaging major groups of the society such as Faith‐based organizations, groups of retired persons, women’s groups, and workers representatives.
The report is one output of a grant provided by an international organisation known as the NCD Alliance and by Medtronic Philanthropy, which is the philanthropic arm of Medtronic-a leading international medical equipment company. The grant is aimed at strengthening health systems, and supporting action to effectively respond to the NCD epidemic. A similar report to that, which has been produced here in the Caribbean by HCC, is being produced in Brazil and South Africa and is also funded by the NCD Alliance and Medtronic Philanthropy.
For Additional Information, please contact: Maisha Hutton Manager HCC Secretariat I River Road, St. Michael, Barbados, BB11155 I tell 246 435-7486 I skype: maishahuttonhcc
See also:
Insect borne diseases pose threat to Caribbean
WASHINGTON D.C., United States, Tuesday April 8, 2014, CMC – The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) has warned that about 50 percent of people living in the Americas, including the Caribbean, are at risk of one or more diseases carried by insects.
The Washington-based PAHO said these insects include mosquitoes, ticks, flies and other vectors which carry diseases such as the West Nile virus, dengue, malaria and most recently chikungunya.
In a “call to action” for World Health Day 2014, top health experts from North and South America and the Caribbean urged greater efforts by governments, communities and individuals to control the spread of these and other vector-borne diseases.
“Our region has achieved many successes in controlling vector-borne diseases,” said PAHO director Dr Carissa F. Etienne.
“However, this success is being threatened by the expansion of mosquitoes and other vectors into new habitats and by the emergence of insecticide and drug resistance,” she added.
Etienne said PAHO and its partners are, therefore, calling for “stepped-up” action in the fight against vector-borne diseases in the Americas.
“We as a world are in some ways more vulnerable than ever,” said Dr Tom Frieden, director of the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.
The most recent vector-borne disease to establish itself in the Americas is chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease that first appeared in Tanzania in the 1950s.
In December 2013, two cases of locally acquired chikungunya were reported on the island of St Maarten.
By the end of March 2014, more than 3,000 cases had been confirmed in 10 Caribbean countries, PAHO said.
PAHO has called on governments, communities, individuals and donors to take action toward further progress and to face future threats from vector-borne diseases.
“Everyone has a role to play,” said Etienne.
PAHO, founded in 1902, is the oldest international public health organization in the world.
It works with its member countries to improve the health and the quality of life of the people of the Americas. It also serves as the Regional Office for the Americas of World Health Organization (WHO).
