Towards a healthy nation

Oct 06, 2025 Editorial, News

(Kaieteur News) – A nation’s wealth is only as strong as the health of its people. Yet today, Guyana faces a health crisis that threatens both the wellbeing of individuals and the capacity of the State to deliver services. Chronic, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are overwhelming us and much of it is preventable.

PAHO’s latest data tell a blunt truth: NCDs are the leading cause of death worldwide and in the Americas. In Guyana as of 2016, 68% of all deaths stemmed from NCDs, especially cardiovascular disease (34%), cancers (8%), diabetes (8%), and chronic respiratory disease (3%). The risk of dying prematurely (between ages 30-70) from NCDs in Guyana is about 31%.

Let that sink in. Almost a third of us will likely lose life years to diseases that, with different habits and government action, could be prevented. More than half of adults are overweight or obese (56.4% in 2022) in Guyana. The Ministry of Health reports obesity rates of about 41% in males and 56.5% in females in the adolescent and adult population.

Hypertension affects roughly 25-26% of Guyanese adults: those whose blood pressure is high (systolic ≥ 140 mmHg, or diastolic ≥ 90 mmHg), or who are on medication. But nearly half of those are unaware of their condition.

Diabetes is present in approximately 11-12% of adults, either diagnosed or un treatment. These figures undercut any belief that “most people are fine.” And they show that our health system is burdened both by treating advanced disease, and by dealing with complications that were never prevented. Prevention isn’t taken seriously enough. Many Guyanese see illness and its cure as the sole responsibility of doctors and hospitals, rather than something shaped daily by diet, activity, lifestyle, and community norms.

Junk food, fast food and processed sugar are becoming staples, especially among younger people and urban dwellers, at the expense of local fruits, vegetables, fish, roots and tubers. Screening gaps: many have never had basic checks blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, meaning diagnosis is late. Weak regulation of food imports, sugar content, advertising of unhealthy foods, and possibly fiscal policies favouring unhealthy diets.

The State cannot simply issue warnings. The scale of the problem demands decisive public policy, community engagement, and individual responsibility. Among measures that can be implemented include: restricting unhealthy food imports and fast foods proliferation: impose standards on sugar, salt, trans fats: tax sugary drinks, regulate advertising (especially to children), require clearer labelling.

Additionally, efforts should be made to promote local food — fruits, roots, vegetables, fish not just as nostalgia or culture, but as central to national health strategy and food security. We must also scale up primary health care screening and intervention: blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol checks need to be accessible, regular, and effective. Launch community-based programmes and mobile clinics.

Public education campaign must also be intensified. Citizens must know that prevention, diet, physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour can change life outcomes. Education must start in school and continue in workplaces, local communities. Finally, at a policy level we must strengthen the frameworks with laws to limit junk food, support healthy defaults. Government must walk the talk, nutrition in schools, food procurement policies favouring local, healthy produce.

A sick population is less productive, more expensive to treat, less able to engage in national development. With oil, gas, mining and agriculture promising economic growth, we risk undermining it via soaring health bills, lost labour, lowered quality of life. The PAHO data is not just numbers it is a warning. Guyana needs to take control of its health now.

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chronic, Editorial, healthy nation, non-communicable diseases, PAHO

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