Department of Public Health, Aruba- (at centre from L to R) Prime Minister of Aruba, Her Excellency Evelyn Wever-Croes, PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the Dutch Caribbean Islands, Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi and the Minister of Tourism and Health, Mr. Danguillaume P. Oduber.
June 10, 2024 –During his first official visit to Aruba, Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi, the PAHO/WHO Representative for Trinidad and Tobago and the six Dutch Caribbean Islands attended the presentation of the STEPS Survey results on 17 May 2024.
Esteemed guests at the presentation included Prime Minister of Aruba, Her Excellency Evelyn Wever-Croes , Minister of Tourism and Public Health, Mr. Dangui Oduber, Minister of Justice and Social Affairs, Mr. Rocco Tjon, Minister of Finance and Culture Ms. Xiomara Maduro and Members of Parliament.
Accompanying Dr. Vivas during this visit and present at the launch of the STEPS survey were Dr. Michelle Harris, PAHO/WHO Advisor for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health and Ms. Nicola Taylor, PAHO/WHO Programme Management Specialist for the six Dutch Caribbean Islands.
The survey aimed to gather up-to-date information on the prevalence of risk factors for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) among the Aruban population. It highlighted the most common modifiable risk factors underlying major NCDs and provided results from physical and biochemical measurements.
Conducted between March and July 2023, the STEPS household NCD survey covered tobacco use, alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, lifestyle counseling, cancer screening, and mental health.
Key findings revealed that half of the Aruban population had consumed alcohol in the past 30 days, vaping is an emerging issue among young men aged 18-29, a quarter of the population did not meet the WHO recommendations for physical activity, nearly 5% had attempted suicide and more than 7 out of every 10 persons were either overweight or obese.
Dr. Gabriel Vivas Francesconi brought greetings to those present on behalf of Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, Director of PAHO/WHO, and praised Aruba for its comprehensive and current data on NCD risk factors, which can be used to guide policy decisions and monitor progress. He commended Aruba’s proactive approach, noting that the Ministry of Tourism and Health and the Ministry of Justice and Social Services, had already begun implementing programs to promote healthy lifestyles and address mental health and substance use issues. He also thanked the people of Aruba for their participation, emphasizing that improving health requires the involvement of both health professionals and the general public.
PAHO/WHO remains committed to supporting Aruba in addressing identified gaps in NCD prevention, treatment, and support for mental health and substance abuse.
