17th Meeting of Chief Medical Officers of Health Castries, St. Lucia 20th – 21st April 2009

Prof. Trevor A. HassellChair of HCC, Chair of NCN CDC

Summary – Caribbean civil society encounter on CNCDs

Background and context “the encounter”/Conference Outcomes Achievements post conference The way forward Public Health Sector and Civil Society

The Extent of the Chronic Disease (CVD, Diabetes, Cancer and Lung Disease) Problem 35 million chronic disease deaths occurred in 2005 out of a

total 58 million deaths worldwide 4 Caribbean countries have the highest prevalence of diabetes

in the Americas (12 – 16%) HBP contributes to 45 % of all heart and blood vessel diseases.

Approximately 20% of adult Barbadians have HBP and fewer than 20% of these are well controlled

More than half of all adult Barbadian females, and more than quarter of males, are obese or overweight

Diabetes and HBP : 8% of GDP in T & T

The Situation

Chronic diseases occur in epidemic proportions world-wide, including in the Caribbean, and produce significant premature death and disability and impose a heavy economic burden

Risk factors (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity & tobacco exposure) and risk conditions of obesity and hypertension are present in a very high % of the population and are not being effectively tackled

Caribbean Initiatives and Reports

Caribbean Commission on Health and Development Report

Nassau Declaration, CARICOM Heads of Government, 2001

Caribbean Charter for Health Promotion Caribbean Cooperation in Health initiative 1,11, 111 Caribbean Regional Plan for Prevention and Control of

NCDs and Injuries, 2008-2012, PAHO Heads of Government of CARICOM Summit and

Declaration against CNCDs, 2007

6

Individual responsibility

Changes to the "toxic" environment

COMMUNITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY

Complementary Complementary approaches to approaches to chronic disease chronic disease preventionprevention

Complementary Complementary approaches to approaches to chronic disease chronic disease preventionprevention

POLICY ENACTMENTHEALTH CARE AND DOCTOR

The Conference

Healthy Caribbean 2008 – A Wellness Revolution Conference

16 -18 October, 2008 Accra Beach Hotel & Resort, Barbados

Purpose

To bring together a wide spectrum of partners from throughout the CARICOM countries – civil society, the business community, educators and researchers, policy makers to plan civil society’s response to the CNCD pandemic

Objectives

Provide a forum for cross section of representatives from various sectors of society to learn about CNCDs and consider how best to tackle them

Build capacity in important elements of civil society Identify and promote evidence based best practices

for addressing the CNCD epidemic in the Caribbean Strengthen capacity of civil society to monitor

implementation of the POS Summit Declaration Consider resource mobilization

Agenda

Introduction Civil society and the tools or instruments used

by civil society Risk Factors Disease prevention and management Celebrating Caribbean initiatives Reflections and the way forward..the

ACTION…the REVOLUTION

Highlights

Opening of conference and feature address by the Hon. David Thompson, M.P., Prime Minister

InterAmerican Heart Foundation Award and Science of Peace lecture, Sir George Alleyne

Presentation of the 5th InterAmerican Journalism Contest Awards on Tobacco Control

Participants Agriculture 3 Business 5 Education 3 Faith Based 4 Finance 7 Food Industry 2 Gov./Policy 13 H C Providers 11 Health Finance 3 Labour 5 Legal 1 Media 9 NGO/CNCD 35 Pharma 3 Reg./Pol 6 Service Clubs 3 Sports/PA 3 Urban Dev. 3 Youth 3

Anguilla Antigua Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize BVI Cayman islands Dominica Grenada Guyana Jamaica Montserrat St. Lucia Trinidad and Tobago St. Kitts

Faculty

USA 9 Brazil 1 Canada

1 United Kingdom

1 Guyana

1

Jamaica3

Trinidad & Tobago 4 Mexico

1 Barbados

6

Achievements post conference

Decision taken to establish a Caribbean civil Society CNCD coalition

Decision taken to establish an Organizing Task Force to set up the Coalition

Declaration Action Plan Technical conference report by CDRC

Achievements post conference

Website established www.healthycaribbean.org.

Organising Task Force set up and functioning Healthy Caribbean coalition in embryonic form Enewsletter Active Caribbean Workshop

Visits to www.healthycaribbean.org.

Year Month Page view Unique visits

2008 November 428 215

2008 December 253 150

2009 January 289 193

2009 February 813 553

2009 March 935 603

TOTAL 2,718 1,714

Active Caribbean Workshop

March 6 – 7, 2009 Hosted by Faculty of Medical Sciences, UWI,

Cave Hill Partnering with CNCD Commission/Ministry of

Health, CDB, PAHO 90 participants, CARICOM wide, multi-sectoral Output: physical activity proposals being

submitted to the CDB for funding

Action Plan – Action Lines

Establishment of a Caribbean civil society CNCD Coalition/Network

Advocacy Development of a communication strategy for

and among Healthy Caribbean CNCD coalition Healthy Caribbean CNCD public education

programme Support for Caribbean Wellness day

Action Plan – Action Lines

Advocacy and support for CNCD risk factor reduction1. Tobacco control and implementation of FCTC2. Increased physical activity3. Improved dietary intake including reduction of

transfats and salt4. Enhanced identification and management of CNCDs

Support of initiatives, plans and programmes at country and organization level

Establishment of A Caribbean Civil Society CNCD Coalition

Undertaken by the Organising Task Force Emphasis on advocacy and coalition building,

public education and media campaigns, monitoring and evaluation, support for existing country level networks.

Many governance, finance, administrative decisions need to be taken including establishment of a small secretariat with seed funding

Advocacy

Recommendations made to PAHO for the HCC to assist with establishment of CNCD Commissions

Recommendation now made that the HCC be invited at take part in Caribbean meetings on CNCDs

Communication strategy

Production and dissemination of Declaration and Action Plan to Caribbean opinion leaders

Distribution of Conference report to conference attendees, invitees and others

Further development of HCC Website Enewsletter Regular email postings by Chair of the OTF

Public education

Posting of presentations given at HCC co-sponsored conference /workshops on the HCC unrestricted website

Development of an CNCD educational series on CMC TV

Support for Caribbean Wellness Day

Co-sponsorship of CWD in countries as appropriate

Promotion of CWD on website and in enewsletter

Encourage members of the coalition to actively support CWD

Encourage private sector to contribute to CWD

Support for countries and organisations

Respond to requests from members of the coalitionChronic care model – Montserrat, MOHSource of funding for setting up OECS Health DeskAssistance with banning of carbonated drinks in

schools, St. Vincent

Advocacy and support for CNCD risk factor reduction

Caribbean FCTC implementation report card Support for a national population salt

reduction and dietary improvement programme in Barbados

Support for Diabetes and Tobacco Conference due to be held in Jamaica 2010

Public Health Sector and Caribbean Civil Society

Propose forums within the Caribbean at which the HCC should be represented

Lobby for HCC to be represented on chronic disease Commissions Funding for “web manager and communications officer” for the HCC –

US$700.00/month Production and distribution of Declaration and Action Plan to opinion

leaders Co-sponsor Caribbean wide radio/TV public education CNCD programme Take action within respective ministries to ensure that CNCD

Commissions receive revenue from increased taxes on tobacco products as recommended by the Heads of Government of CARICOM

Build capacity and enhance training to improve the health NGOs

• We are convinced that we can reduce the burden on CNCDs through the promotion comprehensive and integrated preventive and control strategies at the family