National policy and plan of action on healthy ageing 2017- 2027

The twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda lies in the eastern arc of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, separating the Atlantic Ocean from the Caribbean Sea. Antigua is 650 km southeast of Puerto Rico and Barbuda lies 48 km due north of Antigua. Low-lying and volcanic in origin, they are part of the Leeward Islands group in the northeast Caribbean. Antigua has an area of 108 sq miles and Barbuda 62 sq miles. The terrain is mostly low-lying limestone and coral islands, with some higher volcanic areas. The sandy soil on much of the islands has only scrub vegetation. Some parts of Antigua are more fertile­most notably the central plain­due to the volcanic ash in the soil. These areas support some tropical vegetation and agricultural uses The climate is characterized as tropical maritime with little seasonal temperature variation. Rainfall averages 990 mm (39 in) per year, with the amount varying widely from season to season. The islands generally experience low humidity and recurrent droughts.

National strategic plan for health 2016-2020

Government has accepted the fact that HEALTH is much more than the prevention or reduction of disease, but is a resource for national productivity and development. As such investments in ensuring, a healthy population is an asset for national development. It is for this reason that Government re-affirms its strong commitment to providing better health care to all Grenadians. The National Strategic Plan for Health 2016-2025 provides the framework that will guide the efforts of the Ministry of Health and Social Security (MOHSSSSSS) and its partners over the next ten years. It reflects the Ministry's fundamental belief that health is a basic human right and as a result no one should be denied access to health care. Consequently, one of the overarching goals of this strategic plan is ensure that health services are made available, accessible and affordable to all people without discrimination. Like many other developing countries, Grenada continues to be challenged by meeting the demands for health care services to its citizens. Chronic non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Life style and food choices are the main contributing factors of the disease profile and pose a significant challenge to the delivery of secondary care due to the escalating cost associated with the management of these diseases. This requires the Ministry of Health to place greater emphasis on prevention and health promotion. Notwithstanding the fact, every citizen must however accept responsibility for his/her individual health outcomes. Recently, Grenada has also been experiencing the outbreaks of new and re-emerging communicable diseases, which have been linked to climate change factors. It behooves us therefore to take necessary steps to protect and maintain our environment for our future generations. The Plan further reflects the belief that health fundamentally affects individual productivity and is therefore a critical input for long-term development of the country. To this end, we have set out our major priorities and therefore in concert with the private sector, we will heighten our focus and continue to promote health and wellness among our citizens.