The Grenada National NCD Commission has taken the reins in the struggle against Childhood Obesity. On Thursday January 24th, the Grenada NNCDC held a national consultation with approximately 80 person's gathering at the National Stadium in Grenada to discuss strategies to tackle the problem of childhood overweight and obesity in Grenada.

Representatives from primary secondary and tertiary level school, insurance, sporting fraternity,  HFLE and retired teachers, services, trade unions, NGO's, SGU media, police, parents and ministerial staff along with Commissioners, spent the day understanding the current challenges, the amenities available and discussed strategies for combating obesity using the PAHO guidelines.

There was vibrant engaging conversation and exciting and valuable contribution by most attendees. The consultation was facilitated by Dr. Tonia Frame, Assistant Professor of Public Health, SGU and Dr. Sonia Nixon, CMO Chronic  Disease in the MOH.

The Commission will now move toward the development of a National Anti Childhood Obesity Plan and Plan of Action under the guidance of Dr Frame.

Congratulations to 10-year old Victoria Georges of Wills Primary School in Barbados who won first prize in the HCC and HSFB Youth and NCDs Art Competition under the theme "What Do NCDs Mean to Me?"

Many thanks to all who took part in the contest.

The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) is currently undertaking a revision of CARICOM REGIONAL STANDARD: Labelling of Foods - Pre-Packaged Foods - Specification CRS 5: 201X. This revision is intended to update the current standard in line with the most recent CODEX Alimentarius guidelines as well as to include front of package (FOP) labelling.

The Globe and Mail: The Canadian federal government has dramatically overhauled its iconic Canada’s Food Guide, introducing this week a new, simplified approach that encourages plant-based eating and reduces the emphasis on meat and dairy.

For the past four decades, Health Canada has instructed Canadians that a healthy diet consists of specific servings across “four food groups,” set against a rainbow background. But the new guide, unveiled on Tuesday morning, not only does away with the four groups; it eliminates serving numbers and sizes altogether. It also replaces the “rainbow” with a new icon: A plate.

Jamaica Observer: Several public sector entities have responded to the call from the Jamaica Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton to institute workplace wellness programmes, as part of the national effort to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The minister had issued an appeal for heads of agencies to assign officers to coordinate the wellness efforts, which include ensuring that employees have access to healthier meal options.

“So, your entity will be positioned as not only one that wants to get the value that is exchanged for the salary that you pay each month, but as caring for the long-term wellness and well-being of your staff. It is a great feeling when staff members feel that way,” the Minister said.

D-Foot international recently convened, their D foot Implementation Summit in Madrid.  It brought together key regional representatives from Africa, Europe, MENA, NAC, SACA, WP, SEA, regions representing over 150 countries to discuss various tools and techniques for the implementation of foot programs in various regions.

Every 20 seconds in the world, a lower limb is lost due to diabetes. It is well documented that 85% of ALL amputations are caused by a preceeding foot ulcer and 12% of the world’s health budget is spent on diabetes, estimated at $673,000,000,000 per year. This does not include the emotional, psychological and significant change of life that impacts the lives of those affected. The cost of managing a diabetic foot problem is significantly more expensive than the costs of prevention.  Hence the reasoning behind projects to be geared on prevention and management.  But also to recognize the value of a life with a foot worth salvaging.

For further information on D Foot international please visit http://www.d-foot.org/d-footinternational/programs/ or contact the regional coordinator Simone McConnie saveoursoles2017@gmail.com for further details about programs in your area.

WHO: The ILO Global Commission on the Future of Work calls for fundamental changes in the way we work in the new wave of globalization, rapid technological development, demographic transition and climate change, according to its report Work for a Brighter Future published today. The report examines how to achieve a better future of work for all at a time of unprecedented change and exceptional challenges in the world of work.

Health higher on the work agenda - These changes require placing health higher on the agenda of the world of work. Everybody has the right to health, which is defined by WHO as a state of complete physical and mental wellbeing and not only the absence of disease and infirmity. 

Please consider being part of the process supporting changes to the current WHO definition of Palliative Care (PC) (This is a 2002 definition revised from 1990). The new definition seeks to address some of the debates with the current definition in palliative, including when should PC "be applied to whom and by whom"- IAHPC 2019. 
 
Please see the note below from the team lead of the Caribbean Palliative Care Association's  Steering Committee - Dr Dingle Spence.
 
"Over the past year, the International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) has worked on a project to reexamine the WHO definition of palliative care The objective of the project was to develop, based on consensus, a PC definition that is focused on the relief of suffering that is timely and applicable to all patients regardless of the diagnosis, prognosis, geographic location, point of care and income level."
 
Please click/tap on the link below for a description of the consensus process, and then proceed to the link for the proposed revised definition. If you agree with it, please take one more step to endorse the definition. 

Signatures will be collected until February 28th, 2019, when the list of individuals and organisations endorsing the definition will be submitted to the WHO. 

My Healthy Caribbean School (MHCS) is an initiative of the HCC which provides students, teachers and parents with the opportunity to monitor the school environment with a focus on nutrition and physical activity.

This free webinar from ECHORN and Yale-TCC is part of a series focusing on nutrition and NCDs in the Caribbean. The presenter is Rita Kalyani, MD, MHS. Dr. Kalyani is an associate professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University and a practicing clinician at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Diabetes Center. She is actively involved in diabetes research as well as public education and diabetes awareness efforts.

Her most recent book, Diabetes Head to Toe: Everything You Need to Know about Diagnosis, Treatment, and Living with Diabetes, provides both patients and providers with straightforward information and advice.

Certificates of attendance available upon request. For questions please email: gab_alphonso@hotmail.com

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