BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - AS plans are afoot to complete infrastructural work for several treatment facilities for persons diagnosed with various forms of Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs), the Ministry of Health is reporting success in several areas.
In updating the nation on the successes, without providing figures over the years and plans for 2021 with the budgetary allocations, Health Minister Akilah Byron-Nisbett disclosed that for the period 2015-2020 there has been a 46 percent decline in the incidents of Diabetes and 44 percent for Hypertension being recorded.
“Further, Mr. Speaker, the average mortality data, that is the number of deaths associated with Diabetes and High Blood Pressure are notably trending downwards to 63 percent from 83 percent,” the Minister added.
She pointed to scale up screening, influencing lifestyle changes through public education and detecting new cases of NCDs, and linking those cases to management and care.
Further, the linkage has been placed to the three-year assistance provided by the Taiwanese Embassy in the fight against NCDs in the Renal Kidney Programme that concluded this year.
Minister Byron-Nisbett assured that the start of the capacity building project for the prevention and control of Chronic Metabolic Diseases is expected to be completed in April 2024.
“It is also important that we note that owing to the Government’s strong cooperation with the Taiwanese Government, the Ministry of Health has secured the additional vital services of a volunteer Diabetes Educator from Taiwan, who has been working closely with the staff of the Health Promotion Unit and engaging in outreach at community health centers,” the Minister disclosed.
With regards to diabetics eating healthy, the Minister disclosed that the new programme, dubbed ‘In your Kitchen’, would be a sensitisation drive for those people to be smart in what they consume to minimise the long-term impact of the ailment.
“These initiatives have added immense value to the health sector resulting in decrease numbers for persons with Diabetes, who would normally rely on the system for care,” Byron-Nisbett added.
Meanwhile, before the end of 2021, a number of initiatives will be reactivated to ensure the Government continues to push education on NCDs, including Diabetes.
Minister Byron-Nisbett pointed to the Diabetes Commission and the development of the National Tobacco Control Act - which is aimed at reducing the use of tobacco products in the Federation.
