– increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol, restricting unhealthy food marketing seen as priorities
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are a growing threat to Caribbean states that needs to be urgently addressed.
This was the message from a panel of health experts from the World Bank and regional health organisations who participated in a recent public discussion as part of the Ask WBG [World Bank Group] Series, a WBG release stated last Friday.
The panel which included Senior Medical Officer – Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs, Saint Lucia, Dr Shana Cyr-Philbert; President of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Dr Kenneth Connell; and Head of the NCDs Unit at the Caribbean Public Health Agency, Dr Heather Armstrong, shared their valuable insights on tackling the pressing issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean.
It was emphasised that NCDs account for over 75 per cent of all deaths in the region, with devastating economic consequences, including productivity losses and unsustainable healthcare costs. Further, in countries like Barbados and Jamaica, NCDs lead to losses equivalent to 5.34 % and 5.87 % of gross domestic product (GDP), respectively. Jamaica alone has seen $17.2 billion in lost economic output over 15 years. Without targeted interventions, the region faces rising premature deaths – 40% of NCD-related deaths occur before age 70 – and escalating healthcare expenditures.
As World Bank Country Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc, explained, “The current losses to economies from health care costs and lost productivity is massive and projected to increase exponentially as our populations age. The future of health in the Caribbean must be one where we act decisively to address non-communicable diseases and protect our economies.”
According to the release, the discussion also shed light on critical gaps in NCD policies, pointing out that Caribbean nations have implemented less than 40% of recommended measures. Priority areas identified for improvement included increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol, restricting unhealthy food marketing, and promoting physical activity. It was also highlighted that no Caribbean country currently meets the WHO-recommended 75% tax share on tobacco.
World Bank Senior Economist, Dr Edit Velenyi, highlighted the benefits of investments in NCD prevention. She shared that in Jamaica, for example, for every dollar spent on NCD prevention, $2.1 is gained in healthcare savings and productivity, with potential GDP savings of 4.3% and 5,700 lives saved over 15 years.
To help mitigate the NCD problem, the experts offered the following policy recommendations: a) strengthening primary healthcare systems to reduce NCD mortality; b) promoting multisectoral collaboration across key sectors, such as health, education, finance and trade, agriculture, and urban development sectors to ensure a life-course approach to NCD prevention; and c) implementing “best buy” interventions like increasing taxes on unhealthy products, enforcing advertising restrictions, and educating communities about healthy lifestyles.
The panel however, did acknowledge the unique challenges of tackling NCDs in island nations, such as limited healthcare resources and geographic isolation, and experts highlighted the critical role of innovative solutions in addressing these issues effectively. Innovations in technology, policy, and community-based approaches were emphasised as essential tools for overcoming these barriers. They also stressed that tackling the NCD challenge will require coordinated and collaborative efforts with partners and civil society organisations, not only at the national level but also across the entire region.
The World Bank assured of its intention to work with Caribbean governments to help countries address these challenges by focusing on areas such as improving health financing, enhancing health management information systems, strengthening care for non-communicable diseases, and boosting hospital sector performance. “Through these efforts, the Bank supports countries in their journey toward achieving universal health coverage and building resilient, efficient health systems tailored to the region’s needs,” the release added.
