Bridgetown, Barbados, 17 October 2022 (PAHO) - Today, key stakeholder groups including the Ministry of Health and Wellness, other Ministries, other government departments, trade unions, business associations, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, media houses, and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) convened at the Hilton Barbados Resort for a 2-day workshop to discuss strategies to reduce the salt and sugar content of foods in Barbados.
The aims of the workshop are to increase the awareness and stimulate action to reduce salt and sugar consumption, and to develop a workplan to implement strategies to reduce their consumption.
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the priority areas of the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2022 – 2027. Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of morbidity, disability, mortality, and overall cost to the health care system. Of particular interest is the association between salt intake and hypertension, a known risk factor for stroke and other cardiovascular diseases. At the same time, a high level of free sugars intake is of concern, because of its association with poor dietary quality, obesity, and risk of NCDs.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness acknowledges the negative impacts of a high salt and sugar diet on the well-being of the population. Key areas for action are imperative and may include stakeholder engagement, reformulating food, providing proper and meaningful information to consumers, and establishing an adequate monitoring system of dietary salt and sugar intake. Collectively, action in these areas can reduce the burden of NCDs on the health care system and improve the health of the population.
“Non-Communicable Diseases are a global problem with a significant burden in the Region of the Americas and especially in the Caribbean. A decade after the Port of Spain Declaration, NCDs continue to negatively impact the health of our people, causing premature mortality, disability and reducing the quality of life,” said Dr. Amalia Del Riego, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries.
“NCDs continue to present significant challenges to healthcare systems and a main obstacle to advance towards the attainment of Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage. NCDs also affect national economies, threatening to reverse developmental gains. NCDs are responsible for losses in productivity and increased economic burdens to individuals, families, communities, and nations as a whole.”
There are an estimated 200 million people out of the 1.002 billion in the Americas who are living with NCDs. In the Caribbean, 3 out of 4 people die from NCDs, close to 40% of those deaths are premature (30-70yrs). The trend in Barbados is like the rest of the Caribbean where NCDs are the leading causes of death.
“The government is committed to ensuring that our health care system is capable of effectively treating those afflicted with NCDs. We are committed to working with partners across society. We are committed to ensuring that there are resources in place to educate, empower, support and care for people living with NCD's and those at risk,” said Dr. the Hon. Sonia Browne, Minister of State, Ministry of Health and Wellness.
“Given the drivers on the impacts of NCDs there is need for individual responsibility as well as a supporting environment for healthy living. Beyond individuals and government, the private and civil societies sectors need to ensure that they are taking action that reduces the burden of the NCD pandemic.”
The stakeholder workshop is a collaboration between PAHO/WHO and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, through financial contribution under the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Partnership. This is one of WHO's largest initiatives for international cooperation for UHC and Primary Health Care. It is funded by the European Union, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Irish Aid, the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Government of Japan - Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the United Kingdom - Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Belgium, Canada and Germany.
