Barbados has launched a renewed assault on the non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis with the unveiling of the Know Your Numbers campaign, as the Ministry of Health and Wellness warned of the staggering human and economic toll associated with diabetes, hypertension and related conditions.
Speaking at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Diabetes and Hypertension Association of Barbados at the National Union of Public Workers headquarters in Dalkeith, St Michael, yesterday, senior medical officer with responsibility for NCDs, Dr Walter Alleyne, described the new initiative as a critical tool in reducing the national burden of chronic diseases.
Deaths
“NCDs account for 80 per cent of all deaths in Barbados. One in four Barbadians lives with at least one NCD and the economic impact is between $375 and $825 million each year – almost ten per cent of our GDP,” he said.
Sharing his personal struggle with chronic illness to underscore the message, Alleyne said: “I am hypertensive, I am diabetic, I have hypercholesterolemia and I know every single one of my numbers. That knowledge gives me the power to manage my health.”
He said that the campaign’s core message – knowing one’s blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels was key to early detection and better disease management – was especially urgent given the scale of the crisis.
The most recent national figures show that 26.4 per cent of adults have either raised glucose levels or selfreported diabetes, with women more affected (30.7 per cent) than men (21.5 per cent). Hypertension affects 43.8 per cent of women and 36.9 per cent of men. Nearly two-thirds of all Barbadian adults are either overweight or obese.
In 2022 alone, the country recorded 556 heart attacks and 765 strokes.
“The direct health care cost in 2022-2023 was $120.8 million but absenteeism, presenteeism and premature mortality raised the total economic loss to over $220 million,” he said.
Alleyne praised the Diabetes and Hypertension Association for five decades of advocacy and public health work, noting that the new campaign was well aligned with Government’s National Strategic Plan for NCD Control 2023-2030.
He outlined three areas of Government action: fiscal incentives
to promote healthier eating, public education campaigns and new clinical initiatives to standardise care.
Among the fiscal measures announced in the 2025 Budget are discounts of ten to 25 per cent on essential food items, including meat, dairy, and fruits; value added tax removal on select items such as stewed beef and lentils and duty-free concessions on fruits like pears, mandarins and plums. There is also a 20 per cent excise tax on salty snacks such as corn curls and salted nuts, in line with existing taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, alcohol and tobacco.
Public education
“We are also investing $1 million a year for the next two years into public education,” Alleyne said. He noted that raising awareness was as vital as taxation in shifting unhealthy behaviours.
Turning to children’s health, he warned that 12.5 per cent of Barbadian children under five were already overweight, more than double the global average of 5.6 per cent. The Government’s School Nutrition Policy, approved in 2022, sets new standards for school meals and food marketing and is now in effect across all institutions from pre-school to tertiary level.
Alleyne also announced the local implementation of the World Health Organisation’s HEARTS initiative and its new diabetes-specific extension, HEARTS-D, to improve the quality and consistency of care in primary health facilities across the island.
“These are not isolated actions. They represent a system-wide commitment to making the healthier choice the easier choice.”
Alleyne said changing national health outcomes would require partnership at every level.
“With continued collaboration between Government, civil society and the people of Barbados, we can build a healthier and more sustainable future for all.” ( CLM)
