NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs) now kill more people worldwide than HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, typhoid and all other infectious diseases combined.

That's according to Professor Sir Kenneth Stuart, who made the startling disclosure to health stakeholders attending an all-day Health Sector Policy Review Forum at Sherbourne Conference Centre yesterday. It was hosted by the Ministry of Health to address critical issues related to the country's ten-year Strategic Health Plan.

Diseases such as hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and the other consequences of smoking, and social and psychosocial stresses at work and in the home, are recognised as examples of NCDs, the professor told participants.

"They now represent a major and rapidly expanding health burden not only here in Barbados, but internationally."

Confronted with such challenges, he praised the recent establishment of the National NCD Commission, a recommendation which emerged from a Barbados consultation on health policy two years ago.

In addition, health education in the schools, particularly at the primary level, suggested the professor, "deserves a greater emphasis than it has received in the past". (KD)