Health and wellness barbados: national strategic plan for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases - 2020-2025

ABSTRACT

In 2018 the Barbados Labour Party presented its "People's Manifesto: Building the Best Barbados Together", which placed all who are Barbadian­by birth, marriage, descent, or choice­at the centre of our country's national sustainable development. We committed to "Healthy Bajans", through actions taken during both the initial Mission Critical phase of our governance and the longer-term Transformational Agenda. With our election and strong evidence of the confidence that the people of Barbados placed in us, the Government of Barbados continues to work toward fulfilling the commitments made for greater emphasis on the health and wellbeing of our people. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer consume 70% of the budgets of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Barbados Drug Service. We cannot keep putting most of our limited resources towards fighting sickness; we cannot keep waiting until we get sick to take action; and we cannot afford the high price of these diseases, neither in lives nor in public expenditure. Our parents' and grandparents' advice that "prevention is better than cure" is more applicable than ever in these times. We must continue on the road to making sure that all of us are educated about our health and have access to the food, facilities, and services we need to stay healthy. In advancing our national development in a sustainable way, we need all hands on deck; we need healthy, productive people at all levels to stay the course, contribute, and get our society and our economy back on track­we all contribute, and we all benefit. The development of the National Strategic Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs 2020-2025 was led by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, and its implementation and monitoring will also be led by that Ministry. However, let there be no doubt that it is a national plan, and all sectors of government and all of society have to be involved for its successful execution. We have full confidence that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has mechanisms in place for such involvement, and the Government of Barbados, through the Cabinet Sub-committee on NCDs, will take more than a passing interest in progress made to tackle NCDs and reduce their burden. Together, we can achieve our national health goals and contribute to the achievement of regional and global goals for sustainable development. Our goals are lofty and aspirational, but this is Barbados­we can do it!