CARPHA Expanding Adaptation of Jamaica Moves Across Caribbean
By: , September 28, 2022
Photo: Michael Sloley
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. Hon. Christopher Tufton, is joined by members of the public in a workout session during the recent launch of Caribbean Moves at Emancipation Park, St. Andrew.
Photo: Michael Sloley
Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton (left) and State Minister of Health and Wellness, Juliet Cuthbert Flynn (second left), join Executive Director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), Dr. Joy St John (second right ) and Vice President of Operations, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), Isaac Solomon, in unveiling the declaration to launch the Caribbean Moves initiative across the region, at Emancipation Park in St. Andrew, recently.The Full Story
The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is systematically expanding an adaptation of the Jamaica Moves campaign dubbed ‘Caribbean Moves’ across the region.
The initiative seeks to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean by engaging with a wide cross section of public and private-sector organisations to promote and support preventive health behaviours.
It was launched recently at Emancipation Park in St. Andrew.
So far, three Caribbean countries have launched national moves –Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, St. Kitts and Nevis – and others are expected to come on stream shortly.
Dr. Joy St. John, in explaining the evolution of Caribbean Moves, said that sometime after the launch of Jamaica Moves in 2017, CARICOM Ministers of Health were introduced to the initiative at a meeting in May 2018.
The Ministers agreed, thereafter, on the suitability of Jamaican Moves for adoption on a region-wide basis.
“They saw this as… a catalyst to increase the momentum of ongoing national programmes for increasing physical activity and healthy eating throughout society,” Dr. St. John told the large gathering.
Caribbean Moves was conceptualised and received the endorsement of the Heads of Government of CARICOM in July 2018.
The initiative also received endorsement from Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) in September 2018 at a CARICOM Heads breakfast event held during the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting on the Prevention and Control of NCDs in New York.
Dr. St. John informed that CARPHA is leading a feasibility study for Caribbean Moves on behalf of CARICOM with the support of a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) grant.
The study is entitled ‘Development of Caribbean Moves: An Initiative to Reduce Non-Communicable Diseases’.
Caribbean Moves aligns with the WHO’s ‘Best Buys’ for the prevention of NCDs and aims to create and facilitate a supportive environment.
The health promotion campaign engages all sectors of society at the individual, organisational, community and national levels to encourage three behaviours critical for the prevention and control of NCDs.
These are physical activity, healthy eating, and routine age-appropriate health checks for the general population.