Caribbean health leaders are to call on CARICOM heads of government at their summit to step up their global advocacy on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health, warning that the region is falling dangerously behind international targets as the crisis intensifies.
With the two-day summit — the 49th regular meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community — to get underway in Jamaica from Sunday, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) issued a call for the leaders to reaffirm their legacy of action on NCDs by attending the upcoming fourth United Nations high-level meeting (HLM4) on NCDs and mental health.
That meeting, scheduled for September 25 in New York during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, will be held under the theme, Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being”.
In an open letter and appeal to CARICOM leaders ahead of the summit, HCC President Dr Kenneth Connell called the moment “critical”, noting that the Caribbean continues to suffer disproportionately from NCDs such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory conditions, and mental illness.
He said: “As unnecessary death and disability continue to rise, so do the associated costs of preventing and controlling these diseases which place a significant burden on the limited economic resources of CARICOM states – a crisis worsened by the impact of food and nutrition insecurity and climate-related disasters. Within the context of ageing and contracting populations and increasing economic and climate vulnerabilities, bold action on NCDs focusing equally on prevention and treatment and care is critical to promoting a secure and sustainable future for the Caribbean.”
The HCC head warned that the 2024 Port of Spain Grid and the 2025 WHO Progress Monitor both paint a stark and disturbing picture — the Caribbean is nowhere close to achieving global targets, including Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4, which aims to reduce premature mortality from NCDs by one-third by 2030.
The coalition, according to Dr Connell, sought to remind leaders of the region’s historic role in elevating NCDs on the global health agenda. In 2007, CARICOM heads adopted the Port of Spain Declaration, laying the groundwork for the first UN high-level meeting on NCDs in 2011. Several CARICOM heads of government were in attendance, giving voice to the Caribbean’s commitment to the issue.
Among the key asks from the HCC are: an explicit commitment from CARICOM leaders to attend the HLM4 and include it in the final communiqué of the forty-ninth regular meeting; endorsement of twelve regional NCD and mental health advocacy priorities led by Caribbean civil society; greater community engagement and investment in sustainable, rights-based approaches to health system strengthening; and leadership in hosting a high-level side event at HLM4 and ensuring representation from youth and people living with NCDs in official country delegations.
Dr Connell stressed that this is not just a health issue but a development imperative.
He said: “CARICOM has been globally recognised for its leadership on NCDs, including most recently with the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health. As member states meet in New York on September 25, 2025 for the HLM4, let us collectively demonstrate the leadership of CARICOM. Now is the time to lead again.” (SB)
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