The St Vincent government has identified a “silent epidemic” of noncommunicable diseases facing Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Prime Minister Godwin Friday in his budget address highlighted the following specific details regarding high blood pressure and diabetes.
The country currently records 12,239 cases of hypertension (high blood pressure) and 7,039 cases of diabetes.
The Prime Minister noted that a visit to the wards at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) reveals the “sad story” of these statistics, specifically citing patients suffering from amputated limbs and vision problems caused by diabetes (colloquially referred to as “sugar”).
These conditions are described as reducing the quality of life, straining families, and placing growing pressure on the national health system.
Friday said the government intends to shift the healthcare focus from curing advanced illness to prevention, applying the principle that “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”.
This includes decentralising diagnostic services and strengthening laboratory quality to increase patient access at community laboratories from 8% to 18% in 2026, allowing for better monitoring of these conditions.
