JAMAICA and Japan this week began exploring the possibility of collaborating on a number of joint projects aimed at reducing chronic lifestyle diseases, which local health officials say account for more than half the deaths here.

"Over 50 per cent of death and illness in the Jamaican population is attributable to chronic lifestyle diseases such as stroke, diabetes, obesity and cancers," said Health Minister John Junor.

He also noted that depression accounts for a significant percentage of illness (about 22 per cent) and aggravates the morbidity associated with the other chronic disease.

"HIV/AIDS has emerged as the most recent health threat and is at epidemic proportions. Injuries and deaths due to motor vehicle accidents and violence have also had major impact on the population," the minister added.

In a bid to reduce these figures, Jamaica and Japan have, over the last couple of days, been sharing the latest research carried out in both countries at a joint conference hosted by the Southern Regional Health Authority (SRHA) and the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston.

"The risks to health -- high blood pressure, excessive consumption of alcohol, physical inactivity, tobacco use, obesity -- are now major threats worldwide and cause much of the disease burden," Junor told the conference.

Junor, who gave the opening address at the conference, argued further that the prevention of chronic lifestyle-related illnesses was a priority of the Jamaican Government and many other Governments around the world such as Japan.

Junor thanked the Japanese Government for the help they had already given Jamaica through the 'Strengthening of health care in the Southern region project', which began in July 1998 and is scheduled to end on May 31, 2003.

Under that project, the Government of Japan sent health experts to work in the Southern Regional division while also helping in the training of 18 Jamaican health- care workers in Japan. The Southern region also received two mobile clinics, medical supplies and equipment as part of a disease prevention model aimed at preventing chronic lifestyle diseases.

In turn, Japanese ambassador, Isao Otsuka, said that he hoped the information gained from the five-year project would be used islandwide.

"We are promoting the concept of health for all and the Japanese government's commitment to that is unwavering. I hope that the knowledge gained from the project will not be restricted to the Southern Region," said Otsuka, who also spoke at the opening ceremony.

The conference, which ran from Wednesday, February 19 to Friday, February 21, also explored issues such as:

* the burden of chronic lifestyle diseases/hypertension and diabetes in selected rural communities in Jamaica

* establishing a community-based disease prevention model through joint technical co-operation;

* strategies for the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases in Aomori prefecture and Japan; and

* nutritional issues in the primary and secondary prevention of chronic lifestyle diseases with specific focus on hypertension and diabetes.

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