ACTING CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER Dr Kenneth George has publicly admitted that the “spate” of sudden deaths is likely attributable to chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes and hypertension, and their complications like heart attacks and strokes.
He added this apparent “spike” is in fact par for the course, when deaths over the last few years are compared.
The authors of the (Barbados) Health Of The Nation Study, published in 2015, wrote that “urgent action is required to address the low levels of healthy behavioural risk and high levels of biological risk present in the Barbadian adult population”.
George, in his capacity as senior medical officer – non-communicable diseases, wrote in the foreword to this study, that “having timely and accurate understanding of what puts the average Barbadian at risk for NCDs will assist policymakers to create appropriate population-based interventions to reverse the current upward trend of NCDs.”
The authors of the study seem to be suggesting that something should be done urgently about the NCDs. The policymakers in the Ministry of Health have not responded, by word or deed, to this “timely and accurate information”.
Should we be more concerned that people are dropping down from the NCDs at the same (high) rate as before, or should we appreciate that too many are dying suddenly at all? Is this the time for urgent action from our policymakers?
– DR COLIN V. ALERT