The Ministry of Health on Friday held another important stakeholder consultation to review the national health promotion policy.
The consultation took place at the Public Workers Union building in St George’s, as concerned stakeholders try to come up with new and creative ways to push the health promotion agenda with a holistic approach to ensure health in all policies.
Grenada, like its regional neighbours, is faced with increases in chronic diseases, the burden of various new and re-emerging diseases, access to health care services, funding and support among others critical aspects of Health that can have an overall impact on the country’s resources, including human and financial.
The consultation was facilitated by Rosy Bhola, the former head of the Ministry’s Health Promotion Department. Ms Bhola presented her findings from various investigations and researches that were undertaken locally, regionally and internationally to participants.
Participants were presented with local statistics regarding mortality rates of various causes of death in Grenada and the region, as well as globally.
The issue of lifestyles, determinants of health, healthy eating, exercise, education and information sharing, labelling, standards, commitment, affordability and policy-driven approaches, were raised and discussed by participants as some of the fundamentals that must be accepted and brought to the forefront of the discussion on a national level.
Stakeholders were drawn from backgrounds, departments, organisations and industries. The consultation is the second of its kind to take place.
GIS