President of Barbados, Jeffrey Bostic has issued an impassioned call for Barbadians to become more aggressive in tackling the country’s growing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) crisis, warning that current efforts are failing to slow the spread of illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension.
Speaking during the opening of the two-day Diabetes and Hypertension Association of Barbados’ ‘Live Stronger, Longer’ Blue Wellness Conference at The University of the West Indies, Bostic said health professionals and policymakers must stop “preaching to the converted” and instead focus on reaching people most in need of lifestyle intervention.
“If we are fighting NCDs as we are fighting a battle, and after all of our efforts we have not been able to penetrate the enemy’s defences…that must tell us something,” Bostic said.
“Whatever policies we create will not be effective unless we ask the difficult questions. Why is it that after all the efforts the numbers continue to climb?”
He argued that Barbados already possessed a proven framework through its community-based healthcare system and should return to those grassroots methods.
“We have to stop preaching to the converted. We are not going to make headway if we do not get into the nooks and crannies of this country, in every village, in every parish,” Bostic contended.
Bostic, a former Minister of Health who served during the height of the COVID pandemic, praised the role historically played by the island’s polyclinics, medical officers and community nurses, noting that Barbados’ public health system “was built on the backs and shoulders” of those who engaged directly with communities.
“We don’t have to reinvent the wheel to fight NCDs, we just have to follow the script,” he added.
The President also cautioned that while taxation and public policy are important tools, they must be matched with measures that make healthy living more affordable and accessible.
“We’ve been doing a lot in Barbados,” he said, referencing initiatives such as improved food labelling and the tax on sweetened beverages. “But I think we have a culture that we have to deal with.”
Bostic said many people still view the sweet drink tax as merely a financial burden rather than a public health measure because they do not see enough direct support for healthier alternatives.
“If the revenue generated from the tax does not go to assist, perhaps with the lowering of prices for the foods that we want people to eat, then we are not making the connection,” he said.
Describing the rise in NCDs as a national crisis, Bostic warned that the consequences extend beyond personal health.
“Despite our efforts to combat them, the numbers continue to rise. The costs are not only human; it strains our health system, our families’ finances and our productivity as a nation.
“We cannot and must not pretend that this is someone else’s problem because it isn’t. It is ours, and we must face it, own it and fix it,’ Bostic said.
Bostic also outlined areas where he believes government and health officials must intensify efforts, including school nutrition standards, improved urban planning for safe exercise spaces, wider access to screening programmes and affordable medication.
He urged healthcare professionals to move beyond simply prescribing medication and instead take on a stronger coaching role with patients.
“The 10 minutes that you have with a patient must include not only the prescription, but the conversation,” he said. “What can you change this week that will make next week better?”
(SB)
The post Call for change in approach to fighting NCDs appeared first on Barbados Today.
