“The challenges before us are many, but so are the opportunities to build a future that is more just, prosperous, and inclusive”

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The minister highlighted the urgency of tackling childhood obesity by sharing a personal observation: “I passed a young child today—he couldn’t have been more than four years old—walking with his mother, and I must say, this young boy was probably close to my weight as an adult male. If that trend continues, I’m not sure if he’s going to become one of those very productive citizens that we want.”

He cautioned that the growing burden of treating obesity and other health conditions threatens the country’s development by diverting critical financial resources away from progress.

Ishmael was speaking at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados’ vendor training session on the updated School Nutrition Policy at Lingwood Hall at St Ann’s Fort, the Barbados Defence Force headquarters. He highlighted the economic impact of the health crisis.

“If we have to redirect funds and use those funds continually to treat ill health, then you can see how we can actually be hampering our development as a country,” he said. The minister warned that such redirection could hinder the nation’s growth in other essential areas, jeopardising long-term sustainability.

Ishmael drew a direct connection between the rise in NCDs and the growing rates of childhood obesity, a trend he said must be reversed.

“We can see that many of our young people are carrying a little bit more weight than they should,” he noted. The minister explained that obesity in childhood could lead to long-term health problems, saying, “When a person is overweight or obese, it can lead them to a long-term lifestyle that unfortunately results in the development of NCDs, such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, cancers, etc.”

To combat this public health challenge, the government is crafting a comprehensive national nutrition policy designed to improve the overall health of all Barbadians. Ishmael revealed that the Ministry of Health and Wellness, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, is working to expand the existing school nutrition policy into a nationwide initiative.

“We are in the process of developing a national nutrition policy that will go beyond only schools and ensure that all Barbadians understand the importance of consuming nutritious and healthy meals,” he said.

Vendors and concessionaires, who play a crucial role in shaping eating habits, are key to the success of this initiative, said Ishmael, even as he acknowledged their concerns, particularly over potential impacts on sales.

The minister encouraged the food sellers to embrace healthier options.

“There is a natural fear among vendors and concessionaires,” he said. “But I’m glad to hear from the Heart and Stroke Foundation and other NGOs that we’re working to help you find alternatives. And there are always alternatives.”

Ishmael said a “frank conversation” on obesity was needed.

“We have a problem with childhood obesity in our country and obesity in general,” he said. “We have a problem with NCDs and the management of NCDs in our country. We have a problem with the financial burden that it takes to address ill health. We have a problem. Now that we’ve noted that, we’re having a frank conversation about how to solve it.”

The minister reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the health crisis and urged all citizens to join in the effort.

“The future of our country depends on ensuring that we have healthy young people today,” he said. “You have the full support of the Ministry of Health and Wellness. You have my full support personally.”

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The University of Guyana (UG) has introduced a Bachelor of Science Degree in Respiratory Care (BSRC) programme, making Guyana the first country in the Caribbean region to have conceptualised such an initiative in its healthcare education system, officials said Wednesday. It was developed within a record time of 11 months. The programme, a collaboration between ...

Commission chair Suleiman Bulbulia announced at Wednesday’s prize-giving ceremony that over 40 schools, both private and public, took part in the contest. 

“We were overwhelmed with the number of responses that we got,” Bulbulia said. “We were overwhelmed by the designs that were submitted. So it was a little bit tough in coming up with the final winners, but we felt really great because it was important for us that the young people are engaged in this discussion.”

The competition is part of the commission’s ongoing efforts to combat the influence of unhealthy foods targeted at children. 

Bulbulia highlighted the gravity of the situation: “We have a major issue in Barbados [where] 80 per cent of our deaths are related to NCDs, so it’s a struggle we have to fight and numbers we have to bring down.”

The commission is working to remove unhealthy influences from school environments and hopes to extend these efforts beyond the classroom, he said, acknowledging the challenges faced by young people: “We know it’s a struggle; young people are being bombarded day in and day out with messages of unhealthy foods, snacks and beverages, and we are working on making sure that when they get to school, it’s not there and not within their environment. When they get out of school we are hoping we can work on that as well.” 

The overall winner of the competition was University of the West Indies student Akebulan Thuo, whose design was inspired by his personal health journey. 

He explained: “The idea of how to actually properly lose that weight and become healthy is what I want to promote with what I did today.”

Describing his winning design, Thuo added: “When I heard a ‘Healthier Barbados’, the first thing I thought about was running, because [cardio] is one of the first steps into becoming healthier.” 

He incorporated a tropical setting, featuring people running on a beach.  

“I decided to deal with the beach as the backdrop behind the people running, so people were actually running into the sea. The idea behind that was me thinking Barbados has a brighter future. It’s basically me saying [there] is better health for Barbados,” the university student added.

The NCD Commission has touted the competition’s success as demonstrating progress in engaging youth in the fight against NCDs, which now account for eight of ten deaths in Barbados. (SB)

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“The money was allocated to 10 students for flights, accommodation, and transportation during their stay at Cardiff University in Wales, UK”

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