The Tribune

HEALTH and Wellness Minister Dr Michael Darville yesterday welcomed health professionals and policymakers from the region during the opening of the CARPHA’s 67th Annual Health Research Conference at Atlantis, telling the group it is his hope that they connect, communicate and collaborate.

In his remarks, Dr Darville highlighted the need for Caribbean governments to ensure that its residents have equal access to proper healthcare services, water resources among other things.

“Member states can have the finest tourism agriculture and financial products in the world but if our people are unwell or if their basic health needs are compromised, then the expected economic and social progress for all of our countries will not be realised,” he told those gathered.

“Health professionals, research, policymakers, students and other participants - as you communicate, connect and collaborate throughout this 67th annual research conference, remember that it is the mandate of the health community to use evidenced based research to promote health and wellness for our people in this region and to provide policy recommendations and programme activities that will help to guide our country to development and long-term stability.”

This year’s conference is being held under the theme “Caribbean Health and Tourism: Pathways to Recovery and Resilience”. It ends tomorrow.

Prime Minister Phillip “Brave” Davis also offered well wishes to those attending the conference.

In a virtual address, he agreed that a healthy citizenry is the greatest asset any country can have.

“Regardless of its relationship with income, however, good health can be thought of as a goal in its own right and given the rise of non-communicable diseases in our region, it is certainly an urgent one,” he said.

The prime minister also highlighted the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in The Bahamas and raised concern that the Bahamian diet was pushing the population toward an unhealthier state.

“At present, more than 50 per cent of Bahamians eat fried food up to three times a week, undoubtedly contributing to the NCD crisis,” Mr Davis continued. “We have to put the sugary drinks aside, my friends and opt for water instead. We have to cut down on the spoonful of sugar in our tea and coffee and the need to incorporate more fruits in our diet.”

“The individual efforts will go a long way, but they won’t be sufficient. The government has an important role to play in ensuring the health of its citizens and we surely recognise that.”

The collaboration between CARPHA and the Ministry of Health seeks to bring research to disseminate and to discuss public health in the Caribbean region.

The conference will analyse research that will assist in protecting health tourism and also cover issues such as child health, maternal health, infectious disease, and public health topics of interest.