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Governments Commit to Reduce Suffering and Deaths from Noncommunicable Diseases
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18 October 2017, Montevideo - Heads of State and Government and ministers from around the world committed to new and bold action to reduce suffering and death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), primarily heart and lung diseases, cancers and diabetes, the world’s leading killers.
Governments endorsed the Montevideo Roadmap 2018-2030 on NCDs as a Sustainable Development Priority at the opening of the three-day Global Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases in Montevideo, hosted by WHO and the Presidency of Uruguay.
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WHO Global Conference on NCDs
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World leaders are currently meeting in Montevideo Uruguay, at a Global Conference on NCDs, organised by WHO, the Office of the President of Uruguay, and that country’s Ministry of Health, the conference is promoting health and national development through taking action to beat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), mainly cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic lung diseases and diabetes. The Conference is focusing on enhancing policy coherence between different spheres of policy making that have a bearing on attaining SDG target 3.4 on NCDs by 2030.
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Caribbean Well Represented at the Global World Conference on NCDs
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CARICOM is well represented in Montevideo with representatives from 7 countries (Bahamas, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia and Suriname) including 3 Ministers of Health From Guyana, St. Lucia and Suriname. In addition to Ministries of Health, Ministries of Agriculture, Community Development, Gender Affairs, Social Services, Policy and Planning and Regional Development are represented.
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Caribbean civil society is represented by Mrs. Deborah Chen, Executive Director of the Heart Foundation of Jamaica and Board Member of the NCD Alliance. Mrs. Chen was a panelist in the Bloomberg Welcome Reception and Panel Discussion: A Global Tour of Policy Advancements in the Area of Obesity Prevention and Moderator on the NCD Panel on Our Voices, Our Views - Amplifying the voices of people living with NCDs.
Hon. Minister of Health Patrick Pengel of Suriname participated in a meeting (photo below) where amongst other things, Minsters were asked what civil society could do for NCD policies.
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120 Million Premature Deaths - How Many More Reasons Do We Need For Action?
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On the first day of the WHO Global Conference on NCDs, Montevideo Uruguay, NCD Alliance CEO Katie Dain spoke candidly on building ambitious national NCD responses to reach SDG target 3.4 on NCDs by 2030. This blog reflects her remarks.
Imagine the year 2025. Just 8 years from now, we will reach that milestone year that governments set for NCDs. Reducing preventable mortality by a quarter was and remains the aspiration. But if we continue down the road we are currently travelling, the reality will be very different.
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Global Coalition for Circulatory Health Launches on the Occasion of WHO Global Conference on NCDs
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The World Heart Federation (WHF) is bringing together a Global Coalition of international, regional and national stakeholders in cardiovascular diseases (CVD) to drive the urgent action needed to combat heart disease and stroke, in preparation for the third UN High-level Meeting on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 2018. This Global Coalition for Circulatory Health will be launched as leaders gather in Montevideo, Uruguay, October 18-20 2017, for the WHO Global Conference on Noncommunicable Diseases.
Professor David Wood, Cardiologist and President of the World Heart Federation, explains: "CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of mortality worldwide with more than 75% of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.1 Yet this huge burden is not being addressed with the priority required to achieve the target 25% reduction in premature mortality from NCDs by 2025 (25by25).2 In addition, the implementation of the WHO Global Action Plan3 for the Prevention and Control of NCDs, along with national action plans on NCDs, has been slow".
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New Updated NOURISHING Framework
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The World Cancer Research International NOURISHING Framework, which is a framework to promote healthy diets & reduce obesity has been updated.
The NOURISHING framework was developed to highlight where governments need to take action to promote healthy diets and reduce overweight and obesity.
The framework brings together ten policy areas across three domains: food environment, food system and behavior change communication. The framework is accompanied by a regularly updated database, providing an extensive overview of implemented government policy actions from around the world.
The database includes many Caribbean countries including: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago.
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CARPHA and the U.S. Government Collaborate on Health Initiatives
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Washington, DC, United States. 25th September 2017. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) of the United States of America on Monday 25th September 2017. The MoU aims to strengthen cooperation in health on initiatives that prevent disease, promote health and respond to public health emergencies which are mutually beneficial to the peoples of our respective regions.
The MoU was signed by Dr. Thomas E. Price, Secretary of HHS, and Dr C. James Hospedales, Executive Director, CARPHA. The MoU was endorsed in the presence of Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), and Dr. Douglas Slater, Assistant Secretary-General, Human and Social Development in CARICOM. The MoU opens a new chapter in collaborative efforts in making the Region’s health stronger and more resilient, better suited to the needs of its people.
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HCC Patron Speaks About Childhood Obesity in the Caribbean
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The UWI Open Campus St Lucia held the third annual Marilyn Floissac Memorial Lecture at its Morne Fortune campus on recently. The lecture which explored the genesis and nature of the epidemic childhood obesity in the Caribbean was delivered by HCC Patron, former Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and Director Emeritus of PAHO, Sir George Alleyne.
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Non-communicable Diseases Surpass Infections as Leading Cause of Deaths
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Jamaica Minister of Health, Dr Christopher Tufton, says chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have now overtaken infectious diseases as the leading cause of mortality worldwide.
Addressing the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) 71st annual general meeting & 47th island conference at Royalton White Sands, Trelawny, recently, Tufton cited a World Health Organisation (WHO) report which confirms that 80 per of premature deaths are caused by heart disease, cancer, diabetes, chronic lung disease, and are concentrated in low and middle income countries such as Jamaica.
“The management of these diseases requires long-term and in some cases life-long care, which definitely puts a strain on any health system,” Tufton explained.
“Jamaica, among other countries, is also faced with some critical issues, including an increasing population with ageing infrastructure; the shifting demographic profile, coupled with a change in lifestyle choices and the way we seek medical care,” he added.
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Heart Foundation of Jamaica Observe World Obesity Day
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World Obesity Day was observed on October 11 by the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ), with a series of activities.
A press release was sent to all media. This resulted in interview with the Jamaica Information Service and an article based on the interview.
Executive Director, Mrs Deborah Chen and HFJ nutritionist Frances Mahfood also appeared on CVM@Sunrise (below) to speak about World Obesity Day, highlighting the situation in Jamaica and its impact on NCDs and how consumption of drink with added sugar impact ones health. |
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Other activities included
- An outside radio broadcast on Nationwide News Network, discussing obesity,
- HFJ gave 10 clients free BMIs and HBA1C tests
- Talk on Obesity at the HFJ, Patsy Edwards Henry, Departmental Nurse Manager, Victoria Jubilee Hospital
- Mrs. Chen also took the opportunity to make a presentation to the Lions Club of Kingston on sugar and obesity
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Over 1,000 Amputations Yearly!
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AT least 500 leg amputations are performed in the public health sector every year due to diabetes, Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh said yesterday. Noting this was a startling statistic for a country with a population as small as Trinidad and Tobago’s, Deyalsingh said his ministry’s non-communicable disease (NCD) programme was aiming to reduce this number, and education about a healthy lifestyle was key.
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- Update from Montevideo: Kicking off the journey to the 2018 High-level Meeting (HLM) on NCDse.
- Preparing for the World Cancer Leaders' Summit
- Membership survey
- Breast cancer awareness month
- 5 steps to ensure access to cancer care
- Building integrated palliative care programs and services
- WHO Global Report on Cancer
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Sugary Drink Sales Plummeted After Price Increase, Study Says
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From Colombia to South Africa, France to India, governments around the globe are exploring whether taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages might curb obesity rates. Do these fines actually work to prevent people from choosing sweet drinks?
Adding a small fee to the price tag of sugar-sweetened beverages at one UK restaurant chain most likely contributed to a decline in their sales, according to a study published this week in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.
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Diabetes Association of Barbados - World Diabetes Day
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Cancer Support Services Lecture: Is Modern Medicine Winning the Cancer Battle? Charting a New Path Forward
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Cancer Support Services Annual Free Public Lecture took place on September 28, 2017, at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, under the theme “Is Modern Medicine Winning the Cancer Battle? Charting a New Path Forward” See more images and listen to the lectures by clicking/tapping the button below.
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Cancer Support Services Fundraising Luncheon
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On September 24, 2017, Cancer Support Services held its Fundraising Luncheon at Mahogany Ridge, Plum Tree Road, St. Thomas. An enjoyable evening was spent by all. See more images from the event by clicking/tapping the button below.
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The NCD Alliance will be holding a webinar on Wednesday 25th October from 10:00 - 11:30 EDT // 16:00 - 17:30 CET. The powerpoint slides and recording will be made available on the NCD Alliance website after the webinar.
Topics for discussion:
- News from WHO Global Conference on NCDs
- Summary of WHO Regional Committee Meetings
- Global NCD Alliance Forum
- Debrief from UNGA72
Participants can submit questions prior to the webinar by emailing info@ncdalliance.org in advance. Participants will also be able to send questions and feedback during the webinar.
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The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health
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Pollution is the largest environmental cause of disease and premature death in the world today. Diseases caused by pollution were responsible for an estimated 9 million premature deaths in 2015-16% of all deaths worldwide -three times more deaths than from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined and 15 times more than from all wars and other forms of violence. In the most severely affected countries, pollution-related disease is responsible for more than one death in four.
Despite its substantial effects on human health, the economy, and the environment, pollution has been neglected, especially in low-income and middle-income countries, and the health effects of pollution are under-estimated in calculations of the global burden of disease. Pollution in low-income and middle-income countries that is caused by industrial emissions, vehicular exhaust, and toxic chemicals has particularly been overlooked in both the international development and the global health agendas. Although more than 70% of the diseases caused by pollution are non-communicable diseases, inter-ventions against pollution are barely mentioned in the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases.
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Portugal Plans Tax Attack on Salty Snacks in 2018
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Portugal’s State Budget proposal for 2018 proposes a new tax on foods that have a high salt content – including potato chips, cereals and crackers – in an effort to curb the nation’s unhealthy consumption patterns.
An increase of €0.80 ($0.94) per kilo will be levied on products that have a salt content of 1 g or more per 100 g of product or 10 g per kilo. Packaged salty foods containing less than this limit will be exempt. The move follows the governments introduction of sugar tax on sugary drinks in January this year. The price of beverages with up to 80 g of sugar per litre rose by €0.15 ($0.17), while those with more than 80 g of sugar per litre cost an additional €0.30 ($0.35).
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Civil Society Action Plan 2017-2021: Preventing Childhood Obesity
in the Caribbean
Read/download
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Global Diabetes Walk 2017
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The global diabetes community will again unite at the IDF 2017 Congress in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 4-8 December 2017. The event will include more than 200 speakers, both world-renowned and newcomers, 230 national diabetes associations from 170 countries and high level participation from the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and other health organisations.
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Caribbean Cardiology Conference 2018
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World Cancer Conference 2018
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- Launch of the call for sessions 28 August - 31 October 2017
- Patient Group Pavilion Programme – call for best practice sharing
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- Wake up call to governments: be courageous and do what we know works to prevent & control NCDs
- Join our next webinar: updates on Montevideo Conf. & more
- Governments endorse Montevideo Roadmap 2018-30
- World Psoriasis Day will aim to debunk myths... did you know that psoriasis is an NCD?
- NCDA submits comments on WHO's draft programme of work 2019-2023
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From the NCD Alliance Digest
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NCDs News
Risk Factors News
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Please Follow Us and Our Members on Social Media
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If you want to share your organisations social media details in our roundup please let us know hcc@healthycaribbean.org.
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HCC News Roundup Archive - If you have missed any of our News Roundups you can view previous Roundups on our News Roundup Archive webpage here.
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The HCC is a regional network of Caribbean health NGOs and civil society organizations with the remit to combat chronic diseases (NCDs) and their associated risk factors and conditions. Our membership presently consists of more than 65 Caribbean-based health NGOs and over 55 not-for-profit organisations and, in excess of 200 individual members based in the Caribbean and across the globe.
To join the HCC email us at hcc@healthycaribbean.org
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The work of HCC would not be possible without core funding from Sagicor Life Inc
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The HCC promote the work of civil society throughout the Caribbean in a variety of ways including sharing of their materials, this is not an endorsement of their materials or messages. The information contained in this newsletter is for general information purposes only, we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct but any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. Through this newsletter you are able to link to other websites which are not under the control of the HCC. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.
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