Dr. Carla Barnett
September 17, 2024
Caribbean Wellness Day 2024 is being observed on Saturday, 14 September, under the 2020-2024 theme, ‘Power through Collective Action’, and the 2024 sub-theme ‘Good Health is our Right!’
The observation of this day has its roots in the Port of Spain Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) of 2007, which expressed the commitment of CARICOM Member States to ensure the good health and well-being of the people of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It promotes awareness of the impact of NCDs on the people of the Caribbean, along with measures to reduce the incidence of NCDs.
Influencing and empowering individuals to make healthier choices requires collective action and a multisectoral approach. National policies to support education on healthy food options, physical activity, and access to quality health services throughout the life course remain cornerstones to effectively address these diseases.
The Caribbean Community has been working to address NCDs, a leading cause of death in the Region, along with agencies such as the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), an alliance of civil society to combat NCDs. The Community’s initiatives to actively support the rights of citizens to good health include the ‘Tobacco-Free Caribbean’ and ‘Caribbean Moves’ initiatives.
CARICOM Heads of Government have prioritised addressing crime and violence as a public health issue. Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, who leads on Energy and Security (Drugs and Illicit Arms) in the CARICOM Quasi-Cabinet, hosted a regional symposium in April 2023. A follow-up forum is to be hosted by the Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, in November this year, as the Community continues to focus on this scourge of violence, which impacts our right to health and safety.
The Community’s efforts to increase agricultural production is intended to support good health by making more fresh food available and affordable, thereby reducing the demand for imported foods which are preserved and contain unhealthy levels of salt and fats.
As we mark Caribbean Wellness Day, I urge all Member States to continue their efforts to address the Region’s health challenges through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach. I also encourage everyone to make those changes, such as consuming more fresh food and increasing activity levels, that will help to improve your health.
A healthy and happy Caribbean Wellness Day 2024 to all!
(The author is the Secretary General of the CARICOM)
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