Act on NCDs

The recently published information on the state of Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not new and should not be alarming news. Instead, it should be looked at as an opportunity to call to action all levels of the health sector and to seek multisectoral engagement from all partners in tacking this problem.

Over the last decade, NCDs have been occupying the top ten leading causes of deaths in the country. Among these diseases there have been an increase in cancers, principally that of the cervix, breast, prostate and colon. Other diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, hypertension and diabetes are also of major concern, contributing to increased complications and death.

The battle against NCDs is a global one. St. Vincent and the Grenadines and other Caribbean countries are at a critical juncture in the epidemiological cycle. While NCDs continue to burden the population, emerging and remerging diseases like Zika and Ebola continue to present real threats to the health sector. This burden on the health system threatens the social and economic prosperity and wellbeing at individual, household, and global levels.

As we know, NCDs are referred to as lifestyle diseases and so the modification of lifestyles can impact on these diseases. These diseases have four common risk factors. Among them are tobacco use, the excessive use of alcohol, sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating. Modifying lifestyle by avoiding these risk factors will reduce these diseases.

The “no-smoking in public place” initiative is one to be applauded. However, we must push beyond this and ensure that there is legislation to ensure that people comply. Other initiatives such as encouraging physical activity in schools and in the workplace must be encouraged. I notice that there are numerous fitness movements popping up here and there. This is a good sign that people are seeing the importance of moving. The other areas of excessive alcohol consumption and unhealthy diets must also be looked at and community-based interventions should be put in place, especially targeting young people who are very vulnerable.

Once successful interventions are put in place premature deaths from these diseases can be prevented.

Dr. Rosmond Adams, MD is a medical doctor and a public health specialist with training in bioethics and ethical issues in medicine, the life sciences and research. He is a lecturer of medical ethics.

He is the Head of Health Information, Communicable Disease and Emergency Response at the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA). He is also a member of the World Health Organization Global Coordination Mechanism on the Prevention and Control of NCDs.
(The views expressed here are not written on behalf of CARPHA nor the WHO). You may contact him at adamsrosmond@gmail.com