Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will take centre stage at the Jamaica Observer “Your Health, Your Wealth Symposium”, which is set for April 25 at the Spanish Court Hotel.

Speaking at the launch of the event yesterday at the newspaper’s Beechwood Avenue offices in Kingston, executive director of the Diabetes Association of Jamaica (DAJ) Lurline Less welcomed the event, saying that it will provide an opportunity to reach out to Jamaicans to tackle NCDs in a “sustainable way”.

The symposium is the first of its kind to be hosted by a print media house locally.

“The growing trends of NCDs is alarming, especially among young people. There are lots of young people with complications, so this symposium will help us to reach out and educate people about ways to prevent the complications of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and bring greater awareness among people.

“It is also to bring hope to people living with the conditions and let them know they can properly manage them. And, if you don’t have the condition, it’s about learning how to prevent it or delay onset if you are at risk,” she said.

The DAJ, along with the Jamaica Cancer Society and the Heart Foundation of Jamaica are partnering with the Observer to provide various services at the symposium next Tuesday.

Executive director of the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS), Yulit Gordon, shared similar sentiments and said that her organisation will have presenters talking about cancer in Jamaica, as well as sharing a survivor’s story.

She said, too, that the first 25 women will receive free pap smears and that thereafter, a cost of $2,500 will be charged, per person, for those wanting to access that service.

She said: “Any initiative to reinforce healthy living and engage the public, we welcome it. We hope to continue to encourage the public, to get their cancer screening done and screen for preventable diseases because when you look at the cost to treat, prevention is certainly better.”

The health symposium comes mere weeks after the Government announced that the Ministry of Health currently spends more than US$170 million per year to treat NCDs.

Richard Pandohie, managing director of Seprod — main sponsor of the Observer event — further lauded the upcoming symposium as a step in the right direction as it relates to making Jamaica a healthy nation for all.

“This morning (Tuesday) the Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton shared on his

Instagram that of every 10 deaths in Jamaica, seven are from NCDs. Those are staggering statistics… It is great, as a nation, that we take our health seriously because it’s costing us.

“Within our own operations there are opportunities to make healthier products, to make products that our children may have a better future and bring back a healthier Jamaica; and hopefully with health we will have the attitude to work well and have productivity that will drive economic growth.

“Salute to a healthy nation and much success to the Observer and our fellow partners as we make this an amazing venture,” he said.

Christopher Issa, managing director of the Spanish Court Hotel, another of the event’s sponsors, said that he and his team are looking forward to future partnerships that promote “the health of our nation”.

Kathryn Sharpe from Main Event Entertainment Group Limited echoed his sentiments and praised the event as a great start to bringing the connection of health and wealth to the fore.

“If you’re healthy, you will be wealthy,” she said.

Novia McDonald-Whyte, senior associate editor — lifestyle and social content at the Observer, who brought greetings on behalf of Managing Director Danville Walker, said the symposium will be the first in a series that will help bring Jamaica to a healthy state.

“We laud the Jamaica Observer for once again stepping forward and putting the Your Health Your Wealth Symposium on the table as we move away from poverty to prosperity and focus on the health of our nation, the health of our city. We are the first print publication to push forward with health and it’s really important that we push forward with this symposium,” she said.

The event will feature booths, presentations, free blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol tests, and general wellness advice. Various presenters will also discuss topics such as diabetes in the young, cancer survival and sudden cardiac death.

The symposium is set for a 3:30 pm start time.