Good Day Citizens and Residents of Anguilla, welcome to 2017.
I am certain that many of us have made resolutions for this New Year or at least thought of something that we want to accomplish in 2017. Whatever your goals may be, wellness helps us in achieving them. So, put wellness high on your agenda for 2017 by scheduling your health screenings, choosing nutritious foods, exercising regularly, keeping your attitude upbeat, and your weight in line. Also, add sufficient sleep to your mix and you’re on your way to a memorable year. Remember your health is the most important thing you will ever own.
The Chief Medical Officer’s 2015 Report cites non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as the leading cause of death in Anguilla over the last 5 years. As a result the NCDs have been a major health care burden and a crippling factor in the productivity of the island. During 2016 there have been some very important advances in Anguilla in achieving the time bound commitments on NCDs, one of which notably was the strengthening of surveillance.
Prior to 2016 no survey on the prevalence of the leading NCDs and their risks factors had been conducted in the adult population in Anguilla and data on the prevalence of NCDs and their risk factors particularly in the adult population was virtually non-existent. As a result the STEP-wise survey (STEPS) instrument a World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended tool for the surveillance of chronic disease risk factors, chronic disease morbidity and mortality was executed and completed during 2016. The data gathered will help Anguilla build and strengthen capacity to conduct NCD surveillance and will be used as the major instrument to monitor the nine voluntary global targets of the WHO Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of NCDs while aiming to reduce premature mortality due to NCDs by 25% by 2025 locally.
The STEPS survey is a household survey of adults aged 18-69 and covered all 3 Steps of the WHO Stepwise approach. Data collected in Step 1 included socio demographic characteristics, risk behaviour relating to tobacco use, alcohol intake, diet and physical activity relating to work, travel and leisure. Height, weight, and waist, blood pressure and heart rate were measured in Step 2. Biochemical measurements were collected to assess fasting blood glucose and lipid profile levels in Step 3. Data processing and analysis will follow undertaken collaboratively with The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) during the first quarter of the year followed by a report of the findings of the 2016 survey.
We within the Ministry of Health and the Chronic Disease Unit would like to thank you for your support thus far but ask you to help spur further advances for NCD by doing the simple things as aforementioned. Simple life changes are easy to stick to and can make major improvements for your health. Make 2017 your healthiest year yet and begin your road to wellness.
The Chronic Disease Unit and The Department of Sports are seeking willing Wellness Champions within communities to assist us to enable a county-wide coordinated effort to strengthen chronic disease prevention please feel free to contact any of the above department via email at twylabradshaw-richardson@gov.ai; Shereena.richardson@gov.ai, or Delano.Mussington@gov.ai
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
