From October 15-17, 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) with the support of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) hosted a regional meeting entitled: Addressing the Commercial Determinants of NCDs in Caribbean SIDS: Protecting NCD policymaking from conflicts of interest and undue influence.

The goal of the 3-day meeting was to increase regional capacity to protect NCD policymaking from conflicts of interest and undue influence by actors with vested commercial interests. Over seventy participants convened in Barbados from twelve CARICOM countries representing Ministries of Health, Trade, Education, Agriculture, Sports, and Attorney General Offices; civil society advocates; regional organisations including PAHO, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Organisation Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, the CARICOM Secretariat, and the University of the West Indies; and the private sector.

The meeting represents a major regional milestone in sensitising key NCD stakeholders about key concepts and regional experiences in addressing the commercial determinants of health and critically, advancing collective action towards the development of strategies and tools to support the management of conflict of interest, prevention of undue influence and overall improvement of NCD governance in Caribbean SIDS.

Dr. Kenneth Connell, HCC President, Dr. Amalia del Riego, WHO/PAHO Representative at the Office for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Countries and  Mrs. Piedad Huerta (VIRTUAL) Director, ad interim, PAHO/WHO Subregional Program Coordination for the Caribbean provided welcoming remarks and were followed by Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Barbados – who officially opened the meeting. The strong high level political support was underscored on Day 2 when The Honourable Colin Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security & the Third Sector opened the day’s proceedings.

Highlights from the meeting include:

Remarks from Senator Dr The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Barbados

“The commercial determinants of health are among the most powerful and complex drivers of disease in our time,” he warned. “If left unchecked, they will continue to erode the health gains we have made. The path forward requires courage, collaboration, and clarity of purpose” 

“Governments and health institutions must establish and enforce strong conflict of interest safeguards. For tobacco, full exclusion from policy processes, as required under Article 5.3 of the WHO FCTC, must remain non-negotiable. For alcohol, given its inherent risks, engagement in policy development should also be limited. As it relates to engagement with the food industry, this will require caution with transparency and independent oversight to prevent undue influences” 

Related media:

• Barbados today: Caribbean urged to confront corporate power driving NCD crisis, says Walcott
• Starcom Network: Minister of Health says increased protection of NCD policies against commercial interests
• BGIS: Health Minister To SIDS: Place Public Health Over Profit
• Social Media: Health Minister Senator Dr Jerome Walcott is calling on SIDS leaders to push back against big industries whose products drive non-communicable diseases

Remarks from The Honourable Colin Jordan, Minister of Labour, Social Security & the Third Sector

“Honesty and collaboration across all sectors are essential in tackling the region’s worsening non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis”

“We have to push the message that people must come before profit, but that people coming before profit does not mean that people and profit are mutually exclusive. We are able to find that model that will allow everybody to earn a living and people to be as healthy as possible”

Related media:

• Starcom Network: Minister of Labour urges NGO’s and the public and private sectors to collaborate to address NCD crisis
• CBC: Honesty and decisive action needed to tackle NCD crisis
• Nation News: Invest in health of workers, says minister

Caribbean debut of the WHO Publication:   WHO Economic and Commercial Determinants of Health in Small Island Developing States: Noncommunicable diseases, mental health conditions and injuries and violence

Hearing from global and regional experts.

Professor Jeff CollinProfessor of Global Health Policy, Global Public Health Unit, Social Policy, School of Social & Political Science, University of Edinburgh, Scotland

 

Dr. Fabio da Silva GomesNutrition and Physical Activity Advisor, PAHO

Sharing of Caribbean experiences and solutions from the public sector, civil society (including people living with NCDs and young people) and the private sector.

Please browse to the page to see this content.

Spotlight on The Bahamas Health Promotion and Wellness Bill, 2025
The Bill contains robust conflict of interest safeguards and has been applauded as a global best practice!

Other related media:

• Starcom Network: The Healthy Caribbean Coalition cautions that the region is facing a NCD crisis threatening the livelihood of the youth
• HCC Media Release: HCC and PAHO Sensitise Regional Stakeholders on Commercial Determinants of NCDs in the Caribbean SIDS and Protecting NCD policymaking from Conflicts of Interest and Undue Influence

Next steps will focus on the co-development of tailored tools to support the management of conflict of interest within Ministries of Health and in health influencing ministries and within civil society organisations. If you are interested in connecting with HCC and our partners on this work please reach out to us via email at hcc@healthycaribbean.org subject ‘Conflict of Interest’.

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Highlights from the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health held on 25 September 2025 (HLM4) under the theme “Equity and integration: transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being.”

HCC sends warm congratulations to Her Excellency Ambassador Inga Rhonda King, Permanent Representative of the Saint Vincent and Grenadines to the United Nations in New York for her stewardship of the HLM4 process in her capacity as Co-Facilitator alongside HE Ambassador Olivier Maes of Luxembourg.

We also wish to recognise and thank the CARICOM Permanent Missions of Saint Kitts and Nevis and Guyana for their significant roles as CARICOM Lead Negotiator and G77 Co-negotiator respectively.

CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with PAHO, CARPHA and HCC hosted a successful high-level side event at the HLM4 attended by many including: CARICOM Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett; The Honourable Philip Davis Prime Minister of The Bahamas; The Hon. Dickon Mitchell Prime Minister of Grenada; Dr. The Honourable Christopher Tufton, Minister of Health of Jamaica; Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO/WHO Director; Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA and key global partners including NCD Alliance and the World Bank.

Prime Minister Davis delivered outstanding opening remarks addressing a range of issues including mental health and the intersection with climate change and the commercial determinants of health, stating that ‘regulation of harmful commercial practices is not a luxury it is protection of our citizens’ and ‘ we must confront the commercial forces driving diseases’. Prime Minister Mitchell of Grenada praised HEARTS and underscored the shared risk factors for mental health and NCDS and the need to place measures in place to identify risk of harm and suicide in young people. The Honourable Minister Tufton wrapped up the event highlighting the importance of Caribbean solidarity.

HCC President Dr. Kenneth Connnell and Executive Director attended the HLM4 and participated in the Plenary Session and the 1st Multistakeholder panel where Dr. Connell delivered an intervention from the floor. You can view Dr. Connell’s reading of the intervention here.

CARICOM Representation at the Plenary Session: Nine (9) CARICOM countries represented by Heads of Government and Ministers of Health delivered remarks during the Plenary session: The Republic of Suriname, Saint Kitts and Nevis on behalf of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Antigua and Barbuda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and Guyana. The Honourable Terrance Drew, Prime Minister of Saint Kitts and Nevis,  presented comments on behalf of CARICOM. His remarks acknowledged the important role of civil society with a specific mention of Healthy Caribbean Coalition. Prime Minister Drew in his comments also noted with concern that the Political Declaration did not reflect the urgency of the NCD crisis pointing to insufficiently bold targets.

Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, Senior Minister, Ministry of Health and Wellness of Barbados participated in a High-Level Side Event entitled: “One Vision, One Future: Rallying Global Momentum on NCDs for Generations to Come” at UNHQ on September 24, 2025. Minister Walcott’s comments touched on key steps Barbados has taken including taxation of SSBs, addressing childhood obesity in schools, investment in primary health care, upcoming trans fat legislation, partnerships across sectors and the role of the commercial sector. The recording of the side event can be found here.

For more on the HLM4, including seeing CARICOM country interventions, visit the WHO page here where you can view recordings from the Plenary and the 2 panels.

Visit the HLM4 WHO Media page here.

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The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARHPA), EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health, and the Eastern Caribbean Health Outcomes Research Network (ECHORN) adapted and updated a series of brochures originally developed by Dr. Saria Hassan (ECHORN with funding from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute).

This series of eight brochures was developed to support people in the English-speaking Caribbean who are living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as asthma, diabetes, hypertension, mental health conditions, and cancer, in preparing for and managing their health during natural disasters.

Emergencies often disrupt access to care, medications, medical devices, and follow-up services – factors that can significantly increase the risk of complications and hospitalization for people with NCDs. Each brochure provides condition-specific guidance, including practical steps such as assembling medication and equipment kits, keeping treatment plans and medical records accessible, planning for safe evacuation and shelter, and safeguarding emotional wellbeing. They also feature user-friendly checklists and local resource contacts to help patients, families, and caregivers take action. The eighth brochure focuses on civil society organizations, offering tools to plan for continuity of services, manage supply chains, prioritize vulnerable clients, and coordinate effectively with health authorities. Together, this series strengthens resilience, helps reduce preventable illness and death, and supports faster community recovery. The ultimate goal is to equip people living with NCDs – as well as healthcare workers, civil society and faith-based organizations, volunteers, and other stakeholders – to be better prepared and able to manage NCDs effectively during disasters.

Natural disasters and children with asthma

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with asthma

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with diabetes Type 1

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with diabetes Type 2

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with hypertension

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with anxiety and depression

Read/download

Natural disasters and persons with cancer

Read/download

How civil society organizations can support people living with noncommunicable diseases during natural disasters

Read/download

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Back to School, Back to Health: Nothing at School Should Encourage Unhealthy Choices – Let’s Do Better for the Children!

On Thursday, September 11th, 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition hosted a regional webinar entitled Back to School, Back to Health: Nothing at School Should Encourage Unhealthy Choices – Let’s Do Better for the Children!

The virtual event attracted over 200 registrants, including civil society leaders, government officials, youth advocates, and media representatives from across the region.

The webinar reintroduced the “Let’s Do Better for the Children” campaign, relaunched on August 18th with powerful back-to-school messaging. The campaign calls for stronger protections against the marketing of ultra-processed products (UPPs) – including sweetened beverages – to children, particularly in and around schools.

The webinar covered the following objectives:

• To reintroduce the ‘For the Children’ campaign, with a spotlight on updated and new materials.
• To expose and reframe industry-sponsored activities—such as school donations and
  sponsorships—as strategic marketing tools that grant the food and beverage industry undue influence and actively undermine school nutrition policies and children’s health.
• To explore rights-based, culturally relevant, and financially sustainable strategies to eliminate unhealthy food marketing in and around schools, while fostering strong alliances that protect school environments from corporate interference and promote the wellbeing of children.

HCC Press Release.

Press Coverage:

• Barbados Today – Businesses urged to promote healthy eating among youth (Published September 11, 2025)
• Barbados Today – Teens now suffering from ‘adult’ illnesses (Published September 11, 2025)
• Guyana Times – Caribbean teens facing alarming rise in adult-onset health conditions (Published September 14, 2025)

Panellists & Presenters

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Countdown to the UNHLM

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Webinar: Caribbean Regional Stakeholder Meeting on the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health

On Wednesday 30 July 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation, convened a virtual Caribbean Regional Stakeholder Meeting in support of the 4th UN High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) including Mental Health. This timely discussion also marked the 18th anniversary of the landmark 2007 Port of Spain Declaration on NCDs.

Panellist Quotes

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Open Letter to CARICOM Heads of Government

In Response to the Official Communique of the 49th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government July 6–8, 2025, Montego Bay, Jamaica

July 22, 2025

Dear Honourable Heads of Government and State of CARICOM,

The President and the Board of Directors of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) note with disappointment the distinct absence of any mention of non-communicable disease (NCDs) and the upcoming  4th United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4)  in the Communique of the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).  The HLM4 will be held on September 25th, 2025 in New York during the 80th Meeting of the UN General Assembly under the theme “Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being.”

In HCCs Open Letter, we recalled the historical legacy of CARICOM leadership, engagement and participation in previous UN HLMs on NCDs, and called on CARICOM Leaders to deliver on five (5) key civil society asks:

1. Commit to continued leadership on NCD prevention and control and commit to attendance at the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4) on September 25th, 2025 in the official Communiqué emerging from the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
2. Support the twelve Caribbean civil-society led advocacy priorities for inclusion in the official Communiqué from the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and in the HLM4 Political Declaration [1].
3. Support one or more CARICOM Heads of Government or State to have a lead role in at least one of the multi-stakeholder panels at the HLM4.
4. Support the hosting of a high-level side-event on the margins of the HLM4 led by CARICOM Heads of Government and State as was done in past UN HLMs on NCDs.
5. Endorse the inclusion of a representative from a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representing people living with NCDs and a youth representative in country delegations to the HLM4 in recognition of the whole-of-society response to NCDs.

Read the full letter

The 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs (HLM4) will take place 25 September 2025 in New York at the 80th United Nations General Assembly. Heads of States and Government will set a new vision to prevent and control NCDs towards 2030 and 2050 through a political declaration to be decided in the UN General Assembly. The Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly (HLM4) provides a unique opportunity to adopt a new, ambitious and achievable political declaration on NCDs towards 2050.

Open Letter to CARICOM Heads of Government

Dear Honourable Heads of Government and State of CARICOM, On the occasion of this, the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) calls on you, Caribbean Heads of Government and State, to indicate your commitment to addressing one of our region’s most pressing development issues – noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) – by attending the 4th United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4). The HLM4 will be held on September 25th, 2025 in New York during the 80th Meeting of the UN General Assembly under the theme “Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being.”

The HLM4 comes at a critical time when globally and in the Caribbean, rising rates of NCDs – namely cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and mental health conditions – are vastly outpacing prevention and control efforts. Eighteen years ago, CARICOM Member states played an important role in catapulting NCDs onto the global health agenda with the seminal Port of Spain Declaration. This was followed by the 1st UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs in 2011 which was attended by a significant number of CARICOM Heads who declared in a strong, unified voice that the prevention and control of NCDs was of the highest priority for the region. Almost 20 years after the 1st UN High-Level Meeting, progress in NCD prevention and control is uneven and the 2024 Port of Spain Grid and the 2025 WHO Progress Monitor both reflect a region grossly off track to meet critical regional and global NCD targets including the Sustainable Development Goal 3.4. NCDs are the leading cause of premature deaths in the Caribbean where 40% of NCD deaths occur prematurely before the age of 70 years. As unnecessary death and disability continue to rise, so do the associated costs of preventing and controlling these diseases which place a significant burden on the limited economic resources of CARICOM States – a crisis worsened by the impact of food and nutrition insecurity and climate-related disasters. Within the context of aging and contracting populations and increasing economic and climate vulnerabilities, bold action on NCDs focusing equally on prevention and treatment and care is critical to promoting a secure and sustainable future for the Caribbean.

Read the full letter
5 Key Asks of CARICOM Heads of Government and State

HCC-led Advocacy Priorities for HLM4

The HCC-led Caribbean Advocacy Priorities were developed with emphasis on the importance of identifying a set of regional priorities around which CARICOM missions and negotiators can promote at the HLM4; civil society and key advocacy partners can mobilise; and governments and key implementing partners can embrace – as all stakeholders work to accelerate progress to agreed priority NCD prevention and control objectives in CARICOM Member States. They take into consideration the WHO Best Buys and Other Recommended Interventions and CARICOM regional platforms and mandates, reflect and support the global NCDA advocacy priorities, and are further informed by key factors and realities within the Caribbean context.

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition, in collaboration with the NCD Alliance (NCDA), key stakeholders, and partners, has led a process to develop advocacy priorities to inform Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States’ advocacy at, and contribution to, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly Fourth High-level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases (HLM4), scheduled for 25 September 2025 with the overall theme “Equity and Integration: Transforming lives and livelihoods through leadership and action on noncommunicable diseases and mental health”.

Read/download the full document

HCC-led Caribbean Advocacy Priorities summary View/download.

To see more detail on the Advocacy Priorities read/download the Priorities only document.

HLM4 Advocacy Priority Social Media Cards

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Preparing CARICOM Ministries of Foreign Affairs for HLM4
Preparing CARICOM Ministries of Foreign Affairs for the Fourth United Nations High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (HLM4) September 2025 and Beyond-  a Briefing Note From Civil Society.

The objective of the briefing note is to support the engagement of CARICOM Member States in the negotiations around the Political Declaration of HLM4. The briefing note presents the HCC-led Caribbean civil society advocacy priorities for HLM4; provides the rationale and evidence behind the advocacy priorities to support the negotiation process and contribute to effective Caribbean participation in the meeting; and sets the stage for continued advocacy for priority evidence-based NCD reduction strategies beyond HLM4.

Read/download the Briefing Note.

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Caribbean NCD Leaders Spotlight

HCC spotlight on Caribbean NCD leaders leading up to the 4th UN High Level Meeting on NCDs (HLM4) held during the United Nations General Assembly in September 2025.

See our Caribbean NCD Leaders

HLM4 Key Milestones

Source: NCD Alliance with Caribbean-related insertions by HCC
UN Interactive Multistakeholder Hearing

Stephanie Whiteman

Maisha Hutton

Maria O’Brien

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) recently attended the UN Interactive Multistakeholder Hearing (MSH) as part of the preparatory process for the Fourth high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and well-being (HLM4) to be held on 25 September 2025 at the 80th UNGA. The purpose of the MSH is to gather broad stakeholder feedback on NCD and mental health priorities to inform the development of the zero draft of the Political Declaration.

Find out more

Read the official UN summary of the hearing here, this reflects the perspectives from Member States, civil society, youth, people living with NCDs, and other stakeholders.

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The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) has been welcomed into the family of the region’s media fraternity and got the esteemed opportunity to fulfil one of our commitments which we have strived to achieve over the last five (5) years; to host the media’s best for an in-person sensitization on the health landscape of the Caribbean, in partnership with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU). The HCC welcomed over 130 delegates of the CBUs 56th Annual General Assembly (AGA) and 36th Caribbean Media Awards (CMA) to its home-country Barbados, along with one of its civil society organization members, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados at the Hilton Resort, Barbados. The delegates included Media Managers, Executive Directors, News Editors, Multi-Media Journalists, Media Moguls, Media stalwarts, Anchors and Communication Specialists.

Mrs. Sheena Warner-Edwards

The HCCs Communication Officer Mrs. Sheena Warner-Edwards delivered Remarks from the HCC, followed by the Welcoming Remarks from the CBUs President Mr. Anthony Greene.

The floor opened to a showcase from the youth advocates of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados and the Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY) marrying public health, health policy and the orange economy. Through the arts, the youth delivered the message – Why Healthy Nutrition Food Policies Mattered! Following, HCCs Policy Advisor and Head of the Law and Research Unit, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Mrs. Nicole Foster, delivered a riveting presentation which explained the role of Commercial Determinants of Health on policy erosion, implementation and progress in the Caribbean region. A poetic experience unfolded thereafter with the experiences of our 2023 Caribbean Media Awards (2024 Awards Showing) Healthy Nutrition Food Policy Award – Print and Television winners, taking us through the curation of their work and publishing and broadcasting of the final product.

Another highlight of the evening was the video presentation of our industry interference and Conflicts of Interest (COI) communication campaign materials which was introduced by HCCs Communication Consultant Ms. Tamie Marie.

Team HCC showcased and showed-out. A clearer understanding of the work HCC and its partners and member organisations have been doing across the Caribbean, to reduce childhood obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was buttressed. The evening culminated with visits to the booths of media partners and sponsors of the CBU. The HSFB/HCC booth also commanded attention.

Several opportunities arose out of discussions with journalists present and further interviews were scheduled for print, digital, radio and television. The attendees were treated to healthy hors d’ oeuvres and fruit-infused water, at the end of Day 1 of the CBU AGA.

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Sheena Warner-Edwards opening remarks.

Creativity Meets Opportunity

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) is pleased to once again support the creativity of the media, through the sponsorship of the themed categories in Print and Television through our Healthy Nutrition Food Policy Awards, and to support the travel and accommodation of one of the delegates, an avid journalist; a creator, Ms. Sashana Small, of the RJR Gleaner Communications, to attend this year’s CBU Annual General Assembly and Caribbean Media Awards.

Joining with the CBU on this Partner’s Showcase, strengthens our ability to demonstrate the importance of the whole-of-society approach to tackling NCDs, which is also reflective in this year’s theme Caribbean Media and the Orange Economy.

Our communication and advocacy are strengthened through working with the media as you are able to take what would be considered heavy content and break it up into more digestible, culturally sensitive material for various target audiences.

Whether it is sounding calls for prostate cancer screening, as we try tirelessly to reach our men in society, to bringing the issues to the attention of the population through Editorials, Advertorials, Op-Eds, and Press Releases, you have worked with the HCC and our partners over the years and we thank you.
Every year the number of entries for the Caribbean Media Awards continues to grow; noting the 551 submissions, across 61 categories from 30 media organisations representing 11 countries and territories; a

13% increase from last year’s record-breaking year, which is testament to the worth of the CBU as a leader in our region. We at the HCC are pleased to be a part of the record-breaking years, and to bring a stronger health-focus to the agenda as NCDs remain a major priority on our agenda and has been touted at the highest level and by our Patron Sir George Alleyne, to “represent an existential threat to the economic survival and human capital of the Caribbean countries”.
This year is yet another significant year as on the 25th September 2025, Heads of Government will meet at the UN General Assembly to set a new vision for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing towards 2030 and beyond.

As I speak, the HCC is promoting our UNHLM campaign and has launched the second phase of our For The Children campaign, the latter of which you will hear more about and see shortly. Our civil society member organisations in Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Belize, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas and Jamaica rely heavily on the media to get the messages, press releases, activities and campaigns out to the public, as they support governments in providing care and treatment, while raising health literacy, for and about NCDs. Through media advocacy, we in the Caribbean can secure financing through political commitment for national NCD programmes to ensure that NCD prevention policies are in place, NCD services in primary care are

established at high standards and NCD surveillance mechanisms are put in place and are ongoing.

After the commitments are made, we need to drive action. That’s where you the media again come in; to draw attention to the inadequacies of declarations, outcome documents, policy and programme recommendations and what’s interfering with the implementation of evidence-based policies and programmes. Caribbean countries have been accused of implementation inertia.
The Caribbean has had a chance to be again, a leader in the NCD space. Civil society organisations echoed their voices for the implementation of the octagonal warning label as the front of package warning label which best suited the people in our region, based on scientific evidence in 2021 and again in 2023; this was played down

and thrown out. Now in 2025 we are seeing many changes in the US market with respect to the food which is produced there and shipped here. The media has captured this and amplified it.
The media is therefore powerful in its ability to empower people so they become stewards of the environment. The HCC values this partnership with the CBU and its stakeholders, and look forward to ongoing work and engagement. You can guarantee that once the media covers any area of health, the HCC will capture, share and repost it.

The post HCC and CBU Partners Showcase – Healthy Nutrition Food Policies appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

Virtual Veranduh Chat – Prioritizing Breastfeeding: Policy to Practice

On Thursday 7 August 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and Healthy Caribbean Youth in partnership with the Breastfeeding and Child Nutrition Foundation hosted a Virtual Veranduh Chat, the subject for discussion was Prioritizing Breastfeeding: Policy to Practice.

The panellists and participants discussed the following:

• Promoting breastfeeding and breast milk as primary nutrition for newborns.
• The impact of digital marketing on breastfeeding and child development.
• Breastfeeding best practices across the region and solutions to potential implementation barriers.

Panellists

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On Wednesday 30 July 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation, convened a virtual Caribbean Regional Stakeholder Meeting in support of the 4th UN High-Level Meeting (HLM4) on Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) including Mental Health. This timely discussion also marked the 18th anniversary of the landmark 2007 Port of Spain Declaration on NCDs.

With over 200 participants from civil society, government, regional institutions, and global partners, the webinar fostered rich dialogue around the Caribbean’s progress in tackling NCDs, and the urgent need for renewed leadership and bold action to meet 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The webinar covered the following objectives:

• Reflect on progress on NCDs in the Caribbean since the 2007 Port of Spain Declaration, including key achievements, challenges, and lessons learned.
• Explored NCD priorities and strategies needed within CARICOM to accelerate meaningful action on NCDs – actions which prevent new NCDs and improve the lives of people living with NCDs in lead up to and beyond the HLM4.

Presenters and Panellists

Panellist Quotes

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Visit our HLM4 dedicated webpage.

The post appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

On Monday 16th June 2025, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), in collaboration with Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and Earth Medic Earth Nurse, hosted a regional webinar entitled: Putting People & Health First in Disaster Preparedness, Response, and Recovery. This session drew over 200 registrants and brought together regional stakeholders, the media, experts, and advocates from across sectors to explore critical intersections between climate change, disaster preparedness, and health, with a special focus on ensuring inclusive, people-centered approaches for vulnerable populations, particularly persons living with noncommunicable diseases (PLWNCDs).

The webinar covered the following objectives:

• Explore the intersection of climate change, health emergencies, and NCDs and spotlight actors, experiences, and lessons learned from across the region.
• Explore the HCC Publication – Safeguarding Public Health Nutrition in the Caribbean During Emergencies: Guidelines for Managing Donations from the Commercial Sector.
• Officially launch the “Emergency Preparedness Brochure Series for Persons Living with NCDs (PLWNCDs)”.
• Highlight practical tools and strategies to support the integration of NCD needs into national and regional emergency preparedness, response and recovery and climate adaptation plans.

Presenters and Panellists

Useful Resources

• Safeguarding Public Health Nutrition in the Caribbean During Times of Emergency: Principles for Managing Food, Beverage Finance and In-Kind Donations from the Commercial Sector” can be found via this link: https://www.healthycaribbean.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Safeguarding-Public-Health-Nutrition-in-the-Caribbean-During-Emergencies-Guidelines-for-Managing-Donations-from-the-Commercial-Sector-HCC-November-2024.pdf
• Visit the Young Caribbean Minds Website: https://www.youngcaribbeanminds.com
• What is implementation science and its role in climate adaptation: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(22)00199-1/fulltext
• A webinar presentation on the role of implementation science and climate and health that highlights some of our participatory research in region: https://youtu.be/9NlAOqX0mtY
• Caribbean Research for Action agenda on climate change and health
  • https://earthmedic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Chapter-1_Extreme-weather-events_Research-for-Action-on-Climate-Change-and-Health-in-the-Caribbean_2024.pdf
  • https://earthmedic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Chapter-4_Noncommunicable-diseases_Research-for-Action-on-Climate-Change-and-Health-in-the-Caribbean_2024.pdf
• Development of an agenda for research and action on climate change and health in the Caribbean – PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11726121/
• Protecting Caribbean patients diagnosed with cancer from compounding disasters,  Lancet Oncology, May 2024: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(24)00071-8/
• PAHO Virtual Course:  Psychological First Aid (PFA) in disaster management in the Caribbean – Second Edition https://campus.paho.org/en/course/psychological-first-aid-pfa-disaster-management-caribbean-second-edition-2020
• Check out this Caribbean disaster prep video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDn-23xhFQg

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HCC OPEN LETTER
TO CARICOM HEADS OF GOVERNMENT

IN RESPONSE TO THE OFFICIAL COMMUNIQUE

OF THE 49TH REGULAR MEETING OF THE CONFERENCE OF HEADS OF GOVERNMENT JULY 6-8, 2025, MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA

July 22, 2025

Dear Honourable Heads of Government and State of CARICOM,

The President and the Board of Directors of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) note with disappointment the distinct absence of any mention of non-communicable disease (NCDs) and the upcoming  4th United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4)  in the Communique of the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).  The HLM4 will be held on September 25th, 2025 in New York during the 80th Meeting of the UN General Assembly under the theme “Equity and Integration: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods through Leadership and Action on Noncommunicable Diseases and the Promotion of Mental Health and Well-being.”

In HCCs Open Letter, we recalled the historical legacy of CARICOM leadership, engagement and participation in previous UN HLMs on NCDs, and called on CARICOM Leaders to deliver on five (5) key civil society asks:

1. Commit to continued leadership on NCD prevention and control and commit to attendance at the 4th UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health (HLM4) on September 25th, 2025 in the official Communiqué emerging from the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
2. Support the twelve Caribbean civil-society led advocacy priorities for inclusion in the official Communiqué from the Forty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community and in the HLM4 Political Declaration [1].
3. Support one or more CARICOM Heads of Government or State to have a lead role in at least one of the multi-stakeholder panels at the HLM4.
4. Support the hosting of a high-level side-event on the margins of the HLM4 led by CARICOM Heads of Government and State as was done in past UN HLMs on NCDs.
5. Endorse the inclusion of a representative from a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representing people living with NCDs and a youth representative in country delegations to the HLM4 in recognition of the whole-of-society response to NCDs.

Although Dr. Carla Barnett, the Secretary General of CARICOM, highlighted the HLM4 in her opening remarks and urged CARICOM Heads of Government and State to attend, the HLM4 was absent on the meeting’s agenda, raising concerns around the political priority of NCDs at the highest levels of decision-making in CARICOM. In stark contrast, in 2018, in lead up to the 3rd UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs and Mental Health, in the Communique of the Thirty-Ninth Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM Heads endorsed regional NCD advocacy priorities and commended civil society organisations for their efforts in NCD prevention and control. CARICOM Heads then went on to host a highly successful side-event on the day of the HLM3 attended by the Director General of the WHO and the Secretary General of CARICOM.

The HLM4 comes at a critical time,  18 years after the Declaration of Port of Spain and 5 years away from the 2030 SDGs. If the recent Conference of Heads of Government is any indicator of political will, we are in a troubling state. CARICOM countries are grossly off track when it comes to NCD targets – as evidenced by the WHO NCD Progress Monitor 2025 and the 2024 POS NCD Summit Grid Report.  A recent opinion editorial penned by health civil society organisations across the region, begged the question – What does health in a secure and sustainable future look like? Within the context of aging and contracting populations and increasing economic and climate vulnerabilities, a secure and sustainable future for the Caribbean is unachievable without high-level political action on NCDs.

Just about 2 months shy of the HLM4, there is still time for CARICOM Heads of Government and State to demonstrate leadership and commitment to this global agenda which will have country-level impact. Three of HCCs five Asks are still achievable – HLM4 participation, hosting of an HLM4 side event, and endorsing CSO/youth representation in country HLM4 delegations.

CARICOM has been globally recognised for its leadership on NCDs, including most recently with the 2023 Bridgetown Declaration on NCDs and Mental Health. As Member States meet in New York on September 25th, 2025 for the HLM4, let us collectively demonstrate the leadership of CARICOM. Now is the Time to Lead Again.

Dr. Kenneth Connell, HCC President On behalf of the Board of Directors and members of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition 

[1] 1. Engage communities and put people first in the NCD response.; 2. Address the commercial determinants of health and conflict of interest; 3. Accelerate the implementation of healthy food environment environments; 4. Promote full implementation of the WHO FCTC and the WHO MPOWER measures; 5. Enhance physical activity across multiple settings; 6. Accelerate the implementation of WHO SAFER alcohol harm reduction measures; 7. Expand, integrate and strengthen mental health services; 8. Eradicate cervical cancer, and reduce illness and premature death due to breast, prostate and colon cancers; 9. Strengthen health systems using equity-, rights-based, and climate-resilient approaches; 10. Breakdown silos, foster networking enhance collaboration; 11. Mobilize investment, with resource allocation and mobilization strategies for sustainable financing of NCD prevention and control interventions; and 12.Strengthen accountability, mechanisms, metrics and related data collection, analysis, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting at all levels.

Download the letter.

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