Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Christopher Tufton has thrown his weight behind the call for external financing and capacity building assistance to small island developing states (SIDS) to address the escalating challenge of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and mental health.

“The current realities affecting SIDS are such that it requires scaled-up financial resources for the prevention and care management of NCDs and mental health,”

said Tufton from the SIDS Ministerial Conference on NCDs and Mental Health in Barbados last week.

“It is vital that we have the support of our developed country stakeholders and our international development partners to help put the reins on NCDs and premature death in our small islands,” he added.

SIDS are among the countries with the highest estimated risk of dying prematurely from any of the four main NCDs, notably cardiovascular disease, cancers, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes.

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