One of the region’s most vocal health advocacy groups is calling on Barbados and other regional authorities to adapt a ‘Transformative New Agenda’ for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) is putting forward the idea, saying this new approach should be based on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and the significant burden of NCDs in the region.
“The Transformative New Agenda (TNA) proposes a new approach to NCD reduction by government, civil society and private sector, for at least the next five years, underpinned by principles of equity and human rights; aimed at enhancing human security and human capital; based on social activism by persons living with NCDs and other key stakeholders; and focusing on a life course preventive approach,” the HCC explained.
Urging Caribbean leaders not to forget about the NCD crisis, even as they deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, the HCC said there is “urgent need” for transformative action to ensure that NCDs receive attention compatible with the substantial danger that they pose to health, well-being, and sustainable development in the Caribbean.
“Concurrent action to fight NCDs, COVID-19 and other existential threats to sustainable development is imperative, through policy coherence and pooling of resources across sectors and disciplines to address the social and other determinants of health, regain lost ground in NCD reduction, and enable co-benefits, cost-efficiency, and more effective use of limited resources,” it urged.
The HCC noted that the Caribbean has the greatest burden of NCDs in the Americas, with a significant and increasing proportion of older people and growing levels of obesity among children, and reminded that these were all factors that increase the risk and severity of COVID-19.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has heightened awareness of the social, economic, political, commercial and other determinants of health, and exposed for-profit industry tactics that are at odds with the achievement of public health objectives,” the coalition noted.
“It has also revealed inequities and serious shortcomings in countries’ implementation of the multi-sectoral, health-in-all policies, whole-of-government, whole-of-society approaches needed for effective NCD prevention and control in the Caribbean and elsewhere,” it added.
The HCC also expressed concern that the pandemic has had a significant impact on people’s ability to safeguard themselves against NCDs.
According to the coalition, the pandemic has had a serious health, social and economic impact, with heightened risk for and negative health outcomes affecting people living with NCDs and other persons in conditions of vulnerability.
“COVID-19 has slowed progress to achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3, the goal that most directly addresses health, and other SDGs, and has put at risk gains made in reducing premature mortality from NCDs, including mental, neurological and substance use disorders,” it pointed out.
“The widespread effects of the pandemic and efforts to contain it have disrupted lives, livelihoods, supply chains, including for food, and nutrition security which has emerged as a major concern in the Caribbean. Health services have been affected, resulting in delays in interventions for the promotion of health, prevention and care and treatment, particularly for people living with NCDs.”
(MM)
