Legislation for front-of-package warning labels, advanced interventions in schools, and increased preventative care in health centres are some of the proposed initiatives by the Ministry of Health, aimed at reducing the risk factors associated with Non-Communicable Diseases, particularly cardiovascular health issues.
Speaking at the Trinidad and Tobago Heart Foundation’s Go Red For Women event on Sunday, Minister in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Rishad Seecheran, said his Ministry plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to implement the World Health Organization’s recommendations to make each school healthier.
“We will target those at the primary and secondary school level to those requiring advanced interventions. Among several of the initiatives that we propose in the next fiscal year, we propose, as Dr. Harrikissoon said, legislation for front-of-package warning labelling to highlight foods that are high in sugar, sodium and fats, based on PAHO’s nutrient model.”
Minister Seecheran said that apart from educating students, they propose to implement preventative care in health centres across the country.
“What we propose is that doctors and nurses will go into primary and secondary schools to teach students about nutrition, about exercise, as well as mental health, with the goal of NCD prevention. We also propose to increase preventative care through our health centres by reintroducing extended opening hours at health centres.”
Through the Go Red For Women campaign, the Trinidad and Tobago Heart Foundation has been educating the public on the prevention, diagnosis and control of cardiovascular disease in women.
Now in its 11th year, Physician Planner Dr. Karen Sealey noted that the T&T Heart Foundation has been an advocate for better health measures when it comes to cardiovascular disease.
“The main NCD risk factors remain problematic in the region. In addition, overweight and obesity in both adults and children in the region are of great concern. These conditions are driven by unhealthy diets that include significant consumption of sweetened beverages and other processed foods high in salt, fat and sugar, industrially produced trans fats.”
This year’s campaign, themed High Tea and Fashion, continued the advocacy for heart health and prevention in women across Trinidad and Tobago.