WASHINGTON, D.C. – ST. Kitts and Nevis continues to benefit from its ongoing partnership with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in addressing the growing challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Hazel Laws, who is attending the 62nd Pan American Health Organization’s Directing Council Meeting of Health Ministers, expressed her appreciation for PAHO’s support in strengthening the Federation’s health sector.
Speaking during Monday’s (Sept. 29) opening session at PAHO Headquarters in Washington, D.C., Dr. Laws presented a synopsis of the Federation’s recent health initiatives and outlined efforts to confront pressing medical challenges.
In an interview with SKNVibes News on the sidelines of the meeting, Dr. Laws emphasized the importance of maintaining and deepening collaboration with PAHO.
"Now, going forward in terms of PAHO's new strategy, we want to continue and strengthen the partnership and collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis, and the Pan American Health Organisation in terms of the scaling up of our response to non-communicable diseases, which are our biggest health challenge," she said.
She further highlighted the importance of focusing on prevention by “addressing the risk factors, screening, early detection, and management of the innumerable patients who suffer from these conditions.”
The meeting also provided a platform for regional ministers to share strategies and experiences. Guyana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Frank Anthony, told SKNVibes News that the Directing Council Meeting plays a vital role in shaping the future of health across the Americas.
"There are some very important items on the agenda, including the strategic plan for PAHO over the next couple of years and that strategic plan would be pivotal to moving the organisation forward,” Dr. Anthony said.
He noted that addressing NCDs must remain central to PAHO’s agenda. The issue, he stressed, is one of the most pressing health concerns globally and within the Caribbean. NCDs—such as hypertension, heart disease, and cancer—contribute to approximately 43 million deaths worldwide each year, Dr Anthongy reminded, with 18 million of which are premature
Guyana, he added, has implemented several programmes to address the crisis, including PAHO’s HEARTS initiative, which focuses on preventing and managing cardiovascular disease.
“I think that's a very important programme in Guyana. For example, we have 24-7 health centres that are providing HEARTS to their patients. Through HEARTS also, we have medications that are more effective and we have pivoted to those medications in Guyana.”
Beyond cardiovascular health, PAHO is also supporting countries in other areas such as cancer prevention. Dr. Anthony noted that Guyana is actively working toward the elimination of cervical cancer by offering HPV vaccinations to both boys and girls.
The 62nd Pan American Health Organization’s Directing Council Meeting of Health Ministers concludes on October 3.
