Major changes aimed at reducing NCDs to be rolled out

The government is set to unveil sweeping changes to the island’s primary healthcare system in a bid to slash rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Minister of Health Senator Jerome Walcott has revealed.

Speaking at a ceremony honouring Sir Trevor Hassell for his work in NCD education, Walcott announced that the Ministry of Health is on the cusp of rolling out significant reforms aimed at reducing premature adult mortality from lifestyle diseases by a third.

The planned reforms are part of a broader initiative aimed at improving healthcare outcomes by focusing on early detection and prevention, rather than relying on tertiary care.

“I have a personal mandate that we should try to reduce the premature adult mortality from NCDs by a third. It is not impossible, it can be done, and in the course of the next few weeks, you will gradually see a rollout of parts of this process,” he said.

He highlighted that the reforms would include improvements in early prevention and detection systems.

“Everybody is focused on QEH and tertiary healthcare, but the fundamentals of healthcare have to do with primary healthcare – the ability of early prevention, and detection to get better health outcomes. We are looking at that in a project to be discussed soon,” Walcott added.

He also revealed that new screening programmes for various NCDs and cancers would soon be introduced. These include a colonic screening process, initially at two polyclinics, with plans to expand the service later. Additionally, cervical cancer screening and mammography services will be reinstated at the QEH, after having been discontinued in 2008.

“We are looking at the protocols for prostate cancer, recognising the anxiety of men as it comes to testing,” Walcott noted.

Sir Trevor, a former president of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, welcomed the recognition but stressed the ongoing work needed to combat NCDs. He called for the NCD Commission to take a more active role in policy decisions and to engage the private sector in promoting healthier lifestyles for Barbadians.

He said: “What the commission now needs to do in terms of fostering, facilitating, educating, encouraging [persons] are three fundamental things. Firstly, to assist in what I call the challenging political and policy decisions that need to be made around NCD prevention and treatment. Secondly, the commission is well-positioned to encourage, facilitate, and advocate for the private sector to play a more fundamental role in contributing to NCD prevention and control. Thirdly, yes, there is that role for the commission still to empower the people of Barbados by assisting them in becoming more health literate.”