BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, Jan.19.2018- SENIOR Minister of Health, Hon. Eugene Hamilton believes that Non-Communicable Disease (NCDs) – which is a growing problem in St. Kitts and Nevis - is a product of habits.
That comment comes as the government and officials from the University of the West Indies are about to begin their research on the best model of a National Health Insurance plan that would best fit St. Kitts and Nevis.
Minister Hamilton, who has been championing the Health programme, has raised concerns in the past about the NCDs and the impact it is having in the Federation.
He told SKNVibes that often NCDs are “a product of our habit and about what we do, what we eat, what we drink; and how we attend to our bodies”.
The promotion of healthy lifestyles goes a significant way in helping to reduce the levels of NCDs, Hamilton noted, and as a result, the Health Promotions Unit has begun recruiting persons to push that initiative.
But, Hamilton was adamant that the while the Medical Act does not yet recognize “naturopathic medicine as a recognized branch of medicine”, it is believed that steps can be made in that direction to help people make important lifestyle changes.
According to the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care profession, emphasizing prevention, treatment, and optimal health through the use of therapeutic methods and substances that encourage individuals’ inherent self-healing process. The practice of naturopathic medicine includes modern and traditional, scientific, and empirical methods.
In reports published by SKNVibes, there have been significant increases in NCDs from hypertension to diabetes, and cancer.
Medical practitioners have been pushing for citizens and residents to take their diets properly.
In a report published in 2017, Public relations Officers of the St. Kitts Diabetes Association, Dr. Reginald O'Loughlin had confirmed that at his practice he has seen increasing cases of persons coming down with the ailment.
Further, he disclosed that they have been seen increasing number of cases where primary school children are on the border like of being classified as diabetics.
Upon enquiry, the Dr. stated that the children told him about their eating habits, to which he mentioned many would have had lots of sugary foods or beverages.
Hamilton, stated that no matter what is done with lifestyle changes persons would still come down with NCDs.
However, he noted that the Government through the Health Ministry did what it could in 2017, where they introduce a “care system” for persons who are more likely to come down with kidney disease.
That initiative has seen the government soliciting the assistance of a medical agency from Taiwan on a three-year plan, to conduct training of locals and improve the capacity of persons who work in the health centers around the federation.
“We are working to ensure that less persons become chronically ill. But again, it has a lot to do with lifestyle, and so a lot of education – even at the school level has got to go into it.”
