Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are placing an increasing burden on the health system in Trinidad and Tobago. While public budgets for combating NCDs have been on the rise, some argue that there could be changes in health financing to improve outcomes.
This 2024 editorial from the Daily Express in Trinidad and Tobago, discusses the continued rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in this twin island republic. While the Minister of Health believes that the efforts made via the public budget to combat this rising trend are working, the head of the medical board has a different argument. He believes that the financing of NCD prevention and treatment, needs a change of direction.
The rise of NCDs is evident across the globe and in the Latin American and Caribbean region. One of the financing approaches which is gaining traction is to focus more on health taxes, which incentivize healthier behaviours and can potentially add to revenues for the health system.
