Jamaica’s Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton, says the Government will continue to pursue stringent regulations and policies aimed at reducing lifestyle illnesses associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Speaking at the opening session for the Subregional Legal Training on NCDs at the Visitors’ Lodge, University of the West Indies, Mona, yesterday, he said policies and regulatory initiatives, coupled with lifestyle changes, are crucial components in tackling NCDs in Jamaica and the wider Caribbean region.
According to the Jamaica Observer, the Caribbean has the worst epidemic of NCDs in the Americas, which also cause more than 60 per cent of deaths in the region. In Jamaica, the diseases are responsible for most premature deaths, with high blood pressure affecting 25 per cent of the population.
