THE World Bank on Tuesday urged Caribbean countries to urgently address the growing challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which it says account for more than 75 per cent of all deaths in the region, with devastating economic consequences, including productivity losses and unsustainable health-care costs.

This critical message was emphasised by health experts from the World Bank and regional health organisations during a public discussion as part of the Ask WBG Series.

Said a World Bank release: “In countries like Barbados and Jamaica, NCDs lead to losses equivalent to 5.34 per cent and 5.87 per cent of GDP, respectively. Jamaica alone has seen $17.2 billion in lost economic output over 15 years. Without targeted interventions, the region faces rising premature deaths — 40 per cent of NCD-related deaths occur before age 70 — and escalating healthcare expenditures.

“The current losses to economies from health-care costs and lost productivity are massive and projected to increase exponentially as our populations age. The future of health in the Caribbean must be one where we act decisively to address non-communicable diseases and protect our economies,” said Lilia Burunciuc, World Bank’s country director for the Caribbean.

The discussion shed light on critical gaps in NCD policies, with Caribbean nations implementing less than 40 per cent of recommended measures. Priority areas for improvement include increasing taxes on tobacco and alcohol, restricting unhealthy food marketing, and promoting physical activity. No Caribbean country currently meets the WHO-recommended 75 per cent tax share on tobacco.

Dr Edit Velenyi, World Bank senior economist, highlighted that investments in NCD prevention yield high returns. In Jamaica, for every $1 spent on NCD prevention, $2.1 is gained in health-care savings and productivity, with potential GDP savings of 4.3 per cent and 5,700 lives saved over 15 years.

The World recommended that Caribbean countries:

* Strengthen primary healthcare systems to reduce NCD mortality.

* Promoting multisectoral collaboration across key sectors, such as health, education, finance and trade, agriculture, and urban development sectors to ensure a life-course approach to NCD prevention.

* Implement “best buy” interventions like increasing taxes on unhealthy products, enforcing advertising restrictions, and educating communities about healthy lifestyles.

Recognising the unique challenges of tackling NCDs in island nations, such as limited healthcare resources and geographic isolation, the experts highlighted the critical role of innovative solutions in addressing these issues effectively.

Innovations in technology, policy, and community-based approaches were emphasised as essential tools for overcoming these barriers. Experts also stressed that tackling the NCD challenge will require coordinated and collaborative efforts with partners and civil society organisations, not only at the national level but also across the entire region.

The World Bank has been working with Caribbean governments to help countries address these challenges by focusing on areas such as improving health financing, enhancing health management information systems, strengthening care for non-communicable diseases, and boosting hospital sector performance. Through these efforts, the World Bank supports countries in their journey toward achieving universal health coverage and building resilient, and efficient health systems tailored to the region’s needs.