Introduction

Ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to address the media on issues related to the Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases to be held in Port of Spain at the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Saturday 15 September.

The burden of non-Communicable Diseases

This Summit results from a decision of CARICOM Heads of Government in July 2006 after receiving a presentation on the gravity of the problem of non-Communicable Diseases in our region. The presentation was a follow-up to the seminal report by the Caribbean Commission on Health and Development Chaired by Sir George Alleyne.

That study showed that five times as many people die from non-Communicable Diseases as from all the other illnesses combined. In term of the health, per se, of the people of our region, there is a major challenge on our hands.

The report also points out that based on available statistics, if these diseases were to be properly treated, the combined economic burden of diabetes and high blood pressure, would be US $59. 4 M in the Bahamas, US 89.4 M in Barbados, US$419.3 M in Jamaica and US496.7M in Trinidad and Tobago.

At the economic level, the Caribbean has great cause for concern. Again, given the statistics, Trinidad and Tobago has even greater cause for concern.

The personal or social costs combined with the financial implications of non-Communicable Diseases are sufficient and necessary justifications for convening this Summit.

Positive steps from 2006 Workshop on NCDs in Trinidad and Tobago

Some of you may recall that last year the Government of Trinidad and Tobago convened a workshop on the Non Communicable Diseases, coincidentally, on 15 September, 2006. This was an immediate response to recommendations from the Report of the Commission on Health and Development, and, of course, a demonstration of the urgency that we in Trinidad and Tobago attach to the health as it pertains to our nation. Approximately 250 participants attended from a cross section of representatives from the health, education and private sectors, and from Non-Government Organizations, the universities and other professional groups.

On the basis of the very illuminating discussions at that workshop, including a panel of experts chaired by Sir George Alleyne, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago decided to take some necessary steps to reduce the spread of these diseases.

Among the first steps were the increased taxes on tobacco and alcohol in the Budget for fiscal year 2007 given that these items have been identified as major contributors to the high mortality rates caused by Non Communicable Diseases in this country as well as the Caribbean and for that matter the world over.

The government of Trinidad and Tobago intends to implement more policies, including on-going adjustments to our programmes to provide school meals, initiatives toward compulsory physical education in schools, and greater support for sport.

Other Caribbean countries have either embarked on similar initiatives or are contemplating them. However, by convening this Summit, Heads of Government of the regional community have signaled their intention to embark on collective action.

Organisation of the Summit

The major presentation at the Summit will be given by Prime Minister Denzil Douglas of St Kitts and Nevis.

The Summit will also benefit from presentations from officials of the World Bank and the Caribbean Regional Coordinating Mechanism, and two internationally renown scientists, Prof. Jha from India and Prof. James from the University of Wisconsin.

Outcomes of the Summit

What are we to expect from this Summit?

First of all, we need to identify the strategies for the primary prevention of these diseases, and which is located primarily in our acknowledgment of the most significant factors: tobacco, and inadequate physical education, diets that lead to obesity and alcohol.

Secondly, we are hoping to establish a collective approach for accelerating the management and control of non-communicable diseases, including making provisions for screening for early detection and treatment, strengthening our health services infrastructure, ensuring uninterrupted provision of medication especially for those financially challenged. There is a range of issues requiring collective attention.

This Summit therefore seeks to bring together all the major stakeholders and those who must partner with governments of our Region so that together we can take on the challenge at the required level. Given this, representatives from PAHO, the WHO and the University of the West Indies are involved. A lot of follow–up action is to be expected, and our various public and private sector institutions will be required to play their part. As an example, and of necessity, we shall have to collectively contend with the challenge of food security in our region, education and the role of the media.

We are saying, for example, that our education system and you of the media will be called upon to play a far more effective and meaningful role in bringing about the required lifestyle changes among the people of our Region, in order to reduce the incidence of the acquisition of non-communicable diseases and improve our life expectancy and life experiences.

Indeed, at the last Heads of Government Conference in Barbados, in July 2007, it was decided by Heads of Government that they would pursue functional cooperation as a basis for achieving our community goals and aspirations.

This Summit and the prospects for achieving positive outcomes through shared services, human resources, technical and technology capabilities represents functional co-operation at work in our Region.

In concluding these opening remarks, let me call on the media to give your fullest support to this collective venture to stem the rising tide of non-communicable disease. As the slogan admonishes, let us unite to fight non-communicable diseases in our Region.

Members of the media, I thank you.