Basseterre St. Kitts July 11 2006: Caribbean Heads of Government have received
a report of a study on the macro-economic implications of non-communicable diseases.
The study is a follow-up to the Report
of the Caribbean Commission on Health Development headed by Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Sir George Alleyne
and was presented at the 27th Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in St.
Kitts.
The study showed that the number of deaths,
resulting from diabetes, hypertension and heart disease were ten times higher than the number resulting from HIV/AIDS. It
also identified the high costs of treatment of diabetes and hypertension in the region.
According to the communiqué, the Government
of Trinidad and Tobago has offered to host a special regional consultation to consider mechanisms for implementing specific
recommendations which included a tax on tobacco products and a ban on smoking to combat tobacco use; making physical education
compulsory in schools and ensuring healthy meals; and establishing regulations and standards by ensuring that marketed foods
show calories and fat content and regulation of the importation of fats.
