PHILIPSBURG (DCOMM):--- Caribbean Wellness Day (CWD) will be observed across the region on Saturday, September 13, reminding Caribbean communities to take action and maintain healthy lifestyles under the theme ‘Engage, Empower, Elevate: Working Together to Improve Health and Well-being for All.’
CWD is also about promoting collectively good health and well-being of the whole of society, the Collective Prevention Service (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (Ministry VSA) said.
The burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean has reached epidemic proportions, representing one of the most significant public health and economic challenges facing the region.
With NCDs like cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes accounting for over 75% of all deaths, the region has one of the highest rates of premature mortality from these conditions in the world.
This crisis is fueled by a number of behavioral risk factors, including unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and excessive alcohol consumption.
The high prevalence of NCDs places a tremendous strain on healthcare systems, which are often ill-equipped to manage the long-term, chronic nature of these illnesses, thereby impeding progress toward universal health coverage.
Beyond the human toll, NCDs exact a profound economic cost on Caribbean nations. The direct costs from healthcare expenditures, coupled with the indirect costs from lost productivity due to absenteeism, disability, and premature death, are estimated to be between 1.36% and 8% of the region's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
NCDs are prevalent in Sint Maarten, and CPS uses its annual Health Observance Calendar (HOC), which highlights Caribbean Wellness Day, as well as raising awareness about NCDs that impact the community, such as hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer, and breast cancer.
CPS is urging all citizens to assess their eating habits and behaviors to identify areas for improvement and prevent chronic diseases.
Many cancers are attributable to lifestyles acquired while persons mature from youngsters to the aged (adulthood). Changes made to poor dietary practices and a lack of activity, such as exercise, can greatly improve a person's health outcomes and overall wellness.
CPS encourages members of the community to consult with their family physician or other health-related organizations to learn more about healthy lifestyles and take action to improve their overall wellness.
CPS also encourages residents to participate and get involved in promoting health and wellness in their neighborhoods. Influencing positive lifestyle changes is achieved by working together to improve community and individual health.
The CARICOM Heads of Summit on Chronic Diseases in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, September 2007, established Caribbean Wellness Day.
Caribbean Wellness Day is observed every year on the second Saturday of September.
