Summary:
This strategic and action plan aims to "provide a framework and road map for national action to combat non-communicable diseases and injuries and their risk factors in Jamaica within the context of the socioeconomic, cultural and development agenda".
Description:
The plan covers seven main categories of diseases – cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, sickle cell disease, mental health and injuries. It has six specific objectives which include reducing exposure to modifiable risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and promotion of health throughout the lifecycle through the creation of health-promoting environments (Objective 1), among other objectives.
The strategic and action plan recognizes that addressing the NCD risk factor of unhealthy diet requires various actions, such as reducing the amount of salt, saturated fat and sugars in processed foods, eliminating industrially produced trans fats in foods, controlling advertisements of unhealthy food to children, promoting fruit and vegetable intake, offering healthy food in schools and other public institutions and through social support programs as well as economic interventions to drive food consumption, such as taxes and subsidies and addressing food security issues.
The strategic and action plan is currently being reviewed and updated for the period 2022-2026 by the Ministry with responsibility for health in Jamaica.