We Recieve A Grant from the Commonwealth Foundation

We are absolutely delighted to have recently received a grant from the Commonwealth Foundation to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with non-communicable diseases in St Kitts and Nevis.

 Since the pandemic, there has been no research conducted in St Kitts and Nevis to explore the impact of the pandemic on those living with NCDs. Therefore, exploring this area is of utmost importance because NCDs are the major public health challenge in the Federation. Specifically, 54% of adults have at least one chronic illness, and prior to the pandemic, the Nevis Island Administration reported that 85% of hospital admissions were NCD-related. Additionally, 83% of deaths in St Kitts and Nevis are due to NCDs. Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes in St Kitts and Nevis is three times higher than the world average, and our hypertension prevalence is 9% higher than the global average.

With so many people in St Kitts and Nevis being affected by NCDs, it is important to understand how the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures taken to control the pandemic may have impacted those living with these conditions, especially as the measures that were introduced to contain the virus were much stricter than in other countries. By understanding these issues, we can strengthen future responses to emergencies and protect those within our community who may be particularly vulnerable or marginalised when disasters occur.

As a result of the work, we hope to be able to develop evidence-based recommendations for the Government of St Kitts and Nevis, business leaders and civil society on the protection, management, care and treatment of people living with NCDs during epidemics, pandemics, natural disasters and other emergencies. The means that as a society we can protect our most vulnerable communities and ensure they are not overlooked during challenging local, national and international crises.

We are very grateful to the Commonwealth Foundation for their support and look forward to making a difference to the public’s health through this project.