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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Speaking on the QEH Pulse radio show, Dr Margaret O’Shea, whose expertise lies in kidney transplantation, emphasised the pressing need for such legislation to expand transplant options and meet the increasing demand from the dialysis patient population.

“I think it’s well known we do have a very large dialysis population, and this is increasing year on year, due mostly in part to the increasingly non-communicable diseases,” she remarked. “So the best approach or the best option for our patients with end-stage renal failure is kidney transplantation.”

While dialysis is a crucial treatment, the specialist noted it was not the optimal long-term solution.

“Given the thought that patients who at this time would benefit from a transplant need a live donor, we are not doing as much transplants as we would like, because in Barbados right now, the option for transplantation is only the live donor transplant,” Dr O’Shea explained.

A major obstacle facing the QEH transplant programme is the lack of legislation for deceased organ donation in Barbados. Dr O’Shea underscored the significance of legislative changes to expand transplant options.

“We do not have legislation for deceased donation at this time, but the good thing is the legislation is in the works,” she noted. “The minister of health is moving in that direction to ensure that we can take steps to have more organs available for transplant generally.”

The medical expert elaborated on the advantages of kidney transplantation over prolonged dialysis. She said patients live a better quality of life, live longer, “and, of course, you’re not spending all that time on the dialysis machine.”

Transplants not only improve patients’ health but also enable them to return to their normal lives more quickly.

“Patients who get the transplant are certainly able to go back to their work more readily,” Dr O’Shea emphasised. “You just spend time taking medications so you don’t reject the kidney. It’s better quality of life and also better quantity of life and certainly more cost-effective for the hospital and patient…. It’s a win-win situation for both the patients and the healthcare system.”

Dr O’Shea said there were rigorous screening processes in place to ensure the safety of both donors and recipients.

“We screen our donors very heavily because we don’t want anything to happen to the donors. They get all of the tests done to make sure they’re very healthy and fit for surgery,” she explained.

The hospital’s live donor transplant programme has achieved impressive success rates, supported by its collaboration with international partners.

Dr O’Shea said there is a “close to a 90 per cent success rate at this time”.

“So far, all of our grafts have worked, but we do have patients who, because of underlying problems, do succumb to other issues,” she added.

To foster community involvement and raise awareness, the QEH is hosting an information session about kidney transplantation on Friday at 1 p.m. at the QEH auditorium.

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Over the course of the last week, the two entities facilitated a blood donation drive on the grounds of the National Blood Collecting Centre, located at Ladymeade Gardens, St Michael. Sagicor, a leading insurance and financial solutions company, provided the support of its mobile medical unit and team to assist with the collection of blood donations, and Barbadians turned out in their numbers in recognition of World Blood Donor Day, which was celebrated on Friday June 14.

Founder and brand director of Egi Women, Gina Cummins, said they started their relationship with the Blood Collection Centre about a year ago.

“We felt that this year, in continuation of our acts of service and community building, we wanted to find a partner who could help us to amplify the message and the importance of giving blood. Sagicor have willingly come on board with their mobile wellness unit,” she said. “The way we see it is if we give blood on a frequent basis, the Blood Collection Centre will have a ready supply of blood when people need it.”

Executive vice president and general manager of Sagicor Life Inc (Barbados), Paul Inniss said the company was proud to be associated with what he called a fantastic initiative to give blood.

“…Because we are actually giving back to our communities. We are adding value by personally giving of ourselves, and if you think about it, we are actually giving blood to others that need it, when they need it. I am happy that we had a fantastic turnout and contribution by our people,” he said.

Nurse at Sagicor Life Inc Rosanna Springer outlined the importance of giving blood from a medical perspective.

“You can have a mass casualty where multiple persons can be injured and require blood, someone could be having a procedure or operation, a mother could be giving birth and you need to have blood just in case there are any emergencies. You could also just be simply donating to the bank, to ensure that on a national level, we are always prepared,” she said.

(PR/BT)

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The prohibition on smoking medicinal cannabis in Barbados is sparking mixed reactions among patients and doctors, according to Chief Executive Officer of the Barbados Medicinal Cannabis Licensing Authority (BMLA), Shanika Roberts-Odle. 

At present, medicinal cannabis is mostly administered topically through dermal sprays, gels and creams. 

Appearing on a recent radio programme, Roberts-Odle, highlighted the divergent opinions on this policy, its implications and alternatives.

Her comments come amid an ongoing national dialogue around appropriate medicinal cannabis policies. Since legalising medicinal cannabis in November 2019, authorities have taken a cautious approach, prohibiting smoking as a method of administration, while focusing on the growth of an export industry.

“There are significant amounts of persons who I have met who have indicated that for them, there’s a certain level of hypocrisy involved in that particular position,” Roberts-Odle told the programme.

“Doctors that I’ve spoken with have said smoking anything, in their position, is not recommended. Others have said if there is someone for whom that is their preferred method of use, then, as long as they know that their patient is getting what they need and the patient is aware of the risk that they’re taking, they are fine with that.”

This regulatory stance has drawn criticism from some patients who prefer the rapid onset provided by smoking over other delivery methods like topical applications or oral consumption. 

Some medical experts have voiced concerns about the potential health risks of inhaling cannabis smoke. Critics counter that smoking for palliative care provides relief that far exceeds risk to a terminally ill patient. They argue that a paternalistic approach undercuts patient autonomy and the medical benefits that smoking can provide for certain conditions.

Despite the current prohibition, Roberts-Odle noted that many patients, particularly those in palliative care, prefer smoking as a method of administration, sharing that they are “disappointed that they’re not allowed that avenue at this point in time”.

Anaesthesiologist Dr Adrian Waterman acknowledged the appeal of smoking cannabis due to its quick onset of action, crucial for those seeking immediate relief. But he raised concerns about potential lung damage from tar and other particulates in smoke.

“I can understand why some patients will like that route of administration because, especially in the past, it was a much easier route because the plant, basically the raw product, was [involved]…. People would say that it was a faster route of administration and they liked that,” he said.

“Today, with therapeutic development, they have found ways to administer the chemicals in cannabis, whereby we don’t have to use the inhalation route as much to get a faster onset of action.

“Doctors will tell you, especially in the pulmonary field, that they are very concerned when people smoke and that travels into the lungs.”

Roberts-Odle countered by distinguishing between recreational and medicinal cannabis usage, noting that medicinal cannabis typically does not contain additives like “fanta” used in recreational smoking.

“Generally, the tar comes from the additional things that you put in it,” she said. “For medicinal cannabis, what is actually being smoked is just the cannabis… you don’t add ‘fanta’ and those kinds of things.” 

She also addressed the risk of public smoking and secondhand exposure, stating that if legal, there would need to be restrictions on where medicinal cannabis could be smoked to prevent exposure to non-users.

Pharmacist David Workman, another guest, suggested an alternative rapid-relief method without smoking risks: “Drops or a spray under the tongue where there is a rich blood vessel supply and allows for rapid absorption. I can’t say it’s going to be as fast, but it’s going to be fairly quick.”

Roberts-Odle shed light on patient-specific treatment plans, noting that legislation does not restrict what doctors can prescribe medicinal cannabis for, as “its usage continues to grow and your doctor knows you.”

“They’re able to make an informed decision on whether this is good for you and so we have not restricted the kinds of things that they can prescribe you medicinal cannabis for,” she added.

So far, the BMCLA chief revealed, the drug has treated patients with epilepsy, pain, muscle spasms and anxiety. Underscoring responsible usage, she said: “The same way we have to be responsible with any kind of other medicine that we’re using, medicinal cannabis would have to be under those kinds of context as well… everything in moderation and in the correct usage patterns.” (SM)

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St James will be the only parish visited this week when the Ministry of Health and Wellness continues its fogging programme.

On Monday when the team from the Vector Control Unit makes its first stop, Lancaster, Endeavour with Avenues, Apes Hill Development, and environs will be sprayed.

A return to that parish on Tuesday will see fogging at Wanstead Terrace 1 to 11 Avenues, Oxnards, Oxnards Heights, and surrounding areas.

The following day, Wednesday, fogging will occur at Oxnards Heights, Desert Rose Ridge, Wanstead Gardens Heights, Rose Drive, Lily Drive, Alamanda Drive, Carnation Drive, Begonia, Daisy Drive, and environs.

On Thursday the Unit will visit Independence Drive, Trident Avenue, Sugar Cane Avenue, Pelican Avenue, and neighbouring districts.

The exercise culminates on Friday in Blue Bell Drive, Croton Drive, Orchid Drive, and environs.

Fogging of districts will run from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., each day. Householders are asked to assist in the control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito by opening all windows and doors to allow the fog to enter. Persons with respiratory problems are asked to protect themselves from inhaling the fog.

Pedestrians and motorists should proceed with caution when encountering fogging operations on the street and parents are instructed to prohibit children from playing in the fog or running behind the fogging machine.

Members of the public are advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to affected communities as soon as possible. (PR)

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Dr Kristyn Kirton, a resident in internal medicine at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, revealed that nearly 700 stroke cases were documented across the island in 2021 alone. “To put it into perspective, 700 cases might not sound massive in global terms, but for a small island nation like ours, it’s significant,” she told Barbados TODAY.
The statistics indicate that most strokes are caused by brain attacks, known as ischemic strokes, specifically blood clots in the brain, which aligns with global trends. Only about 10 per cent of the cases were attributed to brain haemorrhages. “This data is consistent with what we see worldwide, where ischemic strokes are more prevalent than hemorrhagic strokes,” Dr Kirton said.
She was speaking on the sidelines of a Barbados Physical Therapy Association Symposium on Strokes, at the Horatio Cooke Auditorium of the National Union of Public Workers on Dalkeith, aimed at educating the public on stroke prevention, management and rehabilitation.
Kirton noted that there had been a shift in the demographic affected by strokes. Traditionally seen as a disease of the elderly, strokes are now affecting younger populations.

She said: “When you were growing up, you’d hear about strokes affecting your grandparents. But now, we’re seeing 50-year-olds, 52-year-olds, even people in their late 50s. This is still relatively young, and these individuals are often still active in the workforce. This shift is alarming because it impacts not only health but also productivity and quality of life”.
The implications of this demographic shift are profound, especially with the retirement age being extended.  She pointed to the loss of productive years due to stroke as a significant economic and social issue.
“These are precious years that could have been spent contributing to the economy and supporting families. Now, due to stroke, many of these individuals are unable to work, which has a ripple effect on society,” Dr Kirton emphasised.
Comparing the situation in Barbados to the United States, she noted: “In the U.S., statistics show that someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds. This highlights the global relevance of the issue and underscores the importance of taking action to mitigate stroke risk”.
Despite the lack of more recent data, the 2021 figures show a troubling reality, the medical practitioner suggested. “We see nearly equal numbers of men and women affected by strokes, which is somewhat unusual as certain populations might show a gender bias. This parity indicates that stroke is a widespread issue across our population”.
Adding to the concern is the fact that other non-communicable diseases, such as heart and kidney diseases, also plague the population. “We haven’t even touched on these other diseases yet, which further complicates the health landscape in Barbados,” Dr Kirton said.
She also shared her experiences with patients who, despite being at high risk for stroke, often display a lack of concern for their health. “When working with patients, especially those with diabetes, there’s often a sense of invincibility. They think: ‘My blood sugar is just a little high, or my blood pressure is slightly elevated; nothing will happen to me.’ It’s a dangerous mindset. Many of these patients end up experiencing a stroke, often on what could be the worst day of their lives.”
Dr Kirton also noted a worrying trend among middle-aged patients who, despite being aware of their hypertension, fail to take prescribed medications. “This is a recurring pattern I’m seeing more frequently. These individuals know they have high blood pressure and have been prescribed medication, yet they aren’t taking it. This neglect could lead to severe consequences,” Dr Kirton warned.  “High blood pressure, for example, is often symptomless until it reaches a critical point. Without symptoms, many people don’t feel the urgency to act. It’s not until they experience severe consequences, like headaches or blurred vision, that they seek medical help and start taking their health seriously.”

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Barbadians are generally aware of the staggering statistics that 80 per cent of our deaths are attributed to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). What is also known, as an unhealthy diet often contributes significantly to the early onset of NCDs while diets rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and healthy fats have been found to reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease among others.

A known fact is not always an achievable reality and the most common lament to healthy eating is the belief that healthy foods cost more than highly processed foods that are typically less nutritious. Healthy foods are often seen in the context of food for the rich and out of reach of the economically less fortunate.

So, the question is, does healthy eating actually cost more? And the answer to that question is complicated.

In a recent attempt, at a business place I am associated with, offering some treats to our team, we chose the healthier option of fruits. It is worth noting that to our surprise a small bag of basic fruits for each staff member was 100 per cent more costly than industrially produced muffins, which we did the previous month. If at that micro level, the cost difference between healthy and non-healthy is that significant, imagine the challenges at the macro level.

Professor Winston Moore, deputy principal of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, was recently quoted in the press acknowledging that the cost of healthier options was deterring people from buying nutritious food. A 2022/2023 study, Mapping Taxes on Healthy Foods, he conducted in collaboration with Dr Antonio Alleyne, found that food imports high in sugar, sodium and fats were taxed at 35 per cent but healthier foods were taxed at 10 per cent higher.

Decisions regarding food choices are based on a variety of factors including cost, taste, convenience, and availability. Many people feel that nutritious foods cost more than foods high in calories and low in important nutrients. In an effort to save money, people most likely will select less nutritious foods when shopping resulting in less healthy meals and snacks. And that certainly has been the response of many people who we speak with about eating healthier.

Government policy coupled with awareness and behavioural change are the calls that emanate from groups working in the space to combat this existential threat of NCD-related illness and death. Making healthy foods more affordable and easily accessible must be placed up front and centre on the government’s agenda. To continue to kick the can down the road on making healthy foods affordable when evidence abounds on the price differences between healthy and unhealthy foods is to condemn our generation and future generations to NCD-related illnesses and deaths.

Making healthier foods more affordable and easily accessible helps in creating the environment and culture for behavioural change. If the pocket of average-income householders factors significantly in eating choices, then removing that hindrance places healthier options higher on the selection decision-making process.

A walk through our well-known Cheapside Market on a Saturday morning is refreshing to see Barbadians buying produce, fruits, and vegetables. The accessibility, freshness, and bargains there are perhaps better than in other places. But healthier food options cannot only be in our markets, they must be widespread across the length and breadth of Barbados and Barbadians should appreciate affordable, locally home-grown foods over a less healthy, less nutritious, cheap food import.

When discussing the cost of healthy eating, it is important to consider the cost of not incorporating nutritious foods into meals on a regular basis. Unhealthy dietary patterns that consist of high amounts of sugar, saturated fat, sodium, and calories, are linked to higher rates of chronic diseases such as overweight and obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes, among many others. Not only is the risk of chronic disease greater, but the financial costs of treating the diseases listed are expensive. The majority of Barbados’ health care budget is spent on persons presenting themselves to the QEH or polyclinics with an NCD or NCDs. Consider the millions that can be saved by reducing the incidences of NCD-related illnesses.

Suleiman Bulbulia chairs the National NCD Commission

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The Vector Control Unit will continue its fogging programme this week with emphasis on Christ Church and St James.

When the exercise starts on Monday, June 10, the team will focus attention on Christ Church. The areas to be sprayed are Upper Carters Gap, Rollins Road, Bournes Land, Goodland Gardens, Highway U, and environs.

The following day, Tuesday, June 11, the team will make the first of four stops in St James when they fog West Terrace Avenues 1 to 16, West Terrace Heights, and surrounding districts.

A return to that parish on Wednesday, June 12, will see fogging at Wanstead Terrace 1 to 11 Avenues, Oxnards, Oxnards Heights, and environs.

The following day, Thursday, June 13, the Unit will spray Orange Hill, Orange Hill Development, and neighbouring districts.

The programme concludes on Friday, June 14, in the St James areas of Haynesville, Durants Village, and environs.

Fogging will run from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m., each day. Householders are asked to assist in the control of the Aedes aegypti mosquito by opening all windows and doors to allow the fog to penetrate. Persons with respiratory problems are asked to protect themselves from inhaling the fog.

Pedestrians and motorists should proceed with caution when encountering fogging operations on the street and parents are instructed to prohibit children from playing in the fog or running behind the fogging machine.

Members of the public are advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to affected communities as soon as possible. (PR)

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The Ministry of Health and Wellness’ mosquito reduction programme will forge ahead this week when the Vector Control Unit visits areas in the parishes of Christ Church and St Michael.

Fogging will begin on Monday in the following Christ Church districts: Coral Lane, Seaside Drive, Seclusion Road, Ocean Mist Drive, Enterprise Coast Road, Light House Drive, and surrounding communities.

The Unit will remain in the south of the island on Tuesday, when it visits Upper Carters Gap, Rollins Road, Bournes Land, Goodland Gardens, and Highway U.

On Wednesday the team will take the fogging programme to St Michael, where it will stay for the remainder of the week. The Unit will go into Skeete Road and avenues, Ivy and avenues, Hoytes Road, Gittens Road, and environs.

The next day, Thursday, Howells Cross Road, Pinder Gap, Back Ivy, Mayers Road, Proute Road, and Dean’s Road will be targeted.

The fogging exercise for the week will conclude on Friday in Gittens Road, Gittens Gap, Martinique Road, Lovers Road, Welches Terrace and Avenues, and neighbouring districts.

Fogging takes place from 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily. Householders are reminded to open their windows and doors to allow the spray to enter. Children should not be allowed to play in the spray.

Members of the public are advised that the completion of scheduled fogging activities may be affected by events beyond the Unit’s control. In such circumstances, the Unit will return to communities affected in the soonest possible time. (PR)

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In the Senate debate on the Child Protection Bill, Senator Andrew Mallalieu suggested there was a decline in healthcare and education with high levels of charitable donations to the healthcare system, and private schools becoming the main choice of students seeking secondary education.

But Senator Lisa Cummins, the leader of government business in the Senate, pushed back on the real estate executive’s charges, saying healthcare and education have been public policy priorities since independence in 1966.

Senator Mallalieu referenced key points from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, which is cited in the child protection legislation that was passed last week in the lower House of Assembly.

“Point 24 of the convention states children have the right to the best possible healthcare,” he said. “Point 28 says every child has a right to education, with primary education being free…. Point 29 notes children’s education should help them fully develop their personalities, talents and abilities.”

While acknowledging the convention sets minimum children’s rights standards which countries can exceed, Senator Mallalieu questioned the Mottley administration’s priorities.

“Having understood that, I worry greatly about what our priorities have been,” he declared.

On healthcare, the senator said: “We hear of difficulties in getting care at hospitals, polyclinics, wherever it might be. I worry when I see the amount of private charity money that has to go into our healthcare system to keep it running.”

Regarding education, the businessman lamented a perceived decline: “My recollection of the 11-Plus is we all aspired to go to a public school, that’s where the best secondary education was available…. Today, that’s completely reversed. The first choice is not to go into the public school system, because it’s a difficult place. If you’re not a top child and you can’t teach yourself, you will possibly not get a good education there.”

Senator Mallalieu stressed the importance of better working conditions and higher pay for teachers and healthcare workers: “If it’s going to be your top priority, I would think the people who work in those areas would be our smartest people who are paid the most and work in the best conditions, and I am fearful today that that is not true.

“In our school system, it is not the best facilities. Our teachers are not paid the highest salaries. Our doctors, nurses, healthcare providers are not working in the best conditions,” he lamented.

But defending the administration’s record, Senator Cummins said education and healthcare have been the two largest areas of public spending for successive governments since Independence.

It was “misleading to attempt to say that those have not been government priorities”, she said.

Acknowledging historical investment in health and education, Senator Mallalieu called for even greater emphasis: “Perhaps I would like to see even more prioritisation.”

He noted recent positive steps such as the government’s acquisition of the defunct Ursuline Convent private school, and partnerships with Ivy League universities in the US, including a memorandum of understanding with Columbia University’s teaching college.

Reiterating his support for the Bill and the need for an ongoing focus on the UN children’s rights convention, the independent senator said: “I do hope that we will focus on these as we have done and will continue to do, so that our children can have the best education and can look after the [Senate] president and I in our old age.”

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