Human Development Unit
Caribbean Country Management Unit
Latin America and the Caribbean Region
The World Bank
Countries comprising the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States1 (OECS) face a growing challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). NCDs are responsible for six of the top ten leading causes of death in the region, represent a growing portion of health spending, and impose a large economic burden at the societal, community, and household level. The common underlying risk factors fueling the crisis are poor diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and alcohol abuse. Current policies and programs do not sufficiently focus on prevention and could be improved with a multisectoral and coordinated approach.
The World Bank undertook a review to assist them reduce the burden of NCDs. This report proposes a set of policy options to consider in developing their national NCD strategies based on a situation analysis and a review of global experiences. Data in the OECS countries on the epidemiology of NCDs are limited, preventing a fully comprehensive review. Secondary data sources and aggregate descriptive data are used to review the demographic and epidemiological transitions in the OECS countries, to assess key risk factors and make inter-country comparisons. Household survey data were available for St. Lucia, however, enabling an estimate of the economic burden of NCDs and their impact on patients and on families from poorer households.
Download the entire report as pdf here.