1. 17th Meeting of Chief Medical Officers of Health Castries, St. Lucia
20th – 21st April 2009
Prof. Trevor A. Hassell
Chair of HCC, Chair of NCN CDC

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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, , PAHO
Heads of Government of CARICOM Summit and Declaration against CNCDs, 2007

6. Changes to the "toxic" environment COMMUNITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY
Complementary approaches to chronic disease prevention
Individual responsibility
Changes to the "toxic" environment
HEALTH CARE
AND DOCTOR
POLICY ENACTMENT
COMMUNITY AND CIVIL SOCIETY

7. The Conference
Healthy Caribbean 2008 – A Wellness Revolution Conference
October, 2008
Accra Beach Hotel & Resort, Barbados

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. Participants Anguilla Antigua Aruba Bahamas Barbados Belize BVI
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

13. Faculty USA 9 Brazil 1 Canada 1 United Kingdom 1 Guyana 1 Jamaica 3
Trinidad & Tobago 4
Mexico 1
Barbados 6

16. 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

17. Achievements post conference
Website established
Organising Task Force set up and functioning
Healthy Caribbean coalition in embryonic form
Enewsletter
Active Caribbean Workshop

18. Visits to www.healthycaribbean.org.
Year
Month
Page view
Unique visits
2008
November
428
215
December
253
150
2009
January
289
193
February
813
553
March
935
603
TOTAL
2,718
1,714

21. 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

22. 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

23. Action Plan – Action Lines
Advocacy and support for CNCD risk factor reduction
Tobacco control and implementation of FCTC
Increased physical activity
Improved dietary intake including reduction of transfats and salt
Enhanced identification and management of CNCDs
Support of initiatives, plans and programmes at country and organization level

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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 postings by Chair of the OTF

27. 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

28. 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

29. Support for countries and organisations
Respond to requests from members of the coalition
Chronic care model – Montserrat, MOH
Source of funding for setting up OECS Health Desk
Assistance with banning of carbonated drinks in schools, St. Vincent

30. 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

31. 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

32. Thank You

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