Health Minister Dr Frank Anthony yesterday voiced dismay at the poor diet consumed by Guyanese and he called on the reconstituted presidential commission on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) to focus special attention on cervical, breast and prostate cancer.
Anthony was speaking at the first meeting of the Presidential Commission on the Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases which has been reappointed by Cabinet and which is chaired by former Health Minister Dr Leslie Ramsammy.
A release from the Ministry of Health said that at its first meeting yesterday, Anthony urged the commission to be proactive. Anthony highlighted the risk factors, such as alcohol and tobacco, lack of physical activity and poor diet. He further urged the commission to be active in the fight against diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, cancers and cardiac diseases.
One of the areas Anthony recommended for attention by the commission is the battle against cervical, breast and prostate cancer. In particular the Minister expressed disappointment in the low rate of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination and the low uptake of Visual Inspection with Acetic acid (VIA) in the fight against cervical cancer.
“The Minister also expressed dismay in the increasingly poor diet that Guyanese consume, particularly, high sugar and salt diet. The Minister also expressed a desire for increasing the profile of mental health in the work of both the Ministry and the commission”, the release added.
The release said that in Guyana, 68% of all deaths are linked to NCDs.
The objectives of the presidential commission include raising awareness among the public and decision makers of the burden of chronic diseases and advising the government on policies and legislation.
It is also intended to advise the Minister of Health on existing gaps related to NCD prevention
