Trinidad and Tobago and several Caribbean countries are facing an alarming increase in Non-Communicable diseases (NCDs), which are all preventable diseases by adjustments in lifestyles and behaviors. The result is that companies and national governments are increasing spending on the tail-end of disease that can be better spent to help improve wellness and productivity. How do we plan sustainably to decelerate this threatening epidemic?
The realities facing many modern Western countries is that lifestyle choices (stress, unhealthy diets, lack of exercise, smoking) are the leading causes of so-called lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular conditions. The WHO/PAHO Report (2017) on obesity in the Caribbean region lists the Bahamas (69% obesity), Barbados (36% obesity) and Trinidad & Tobago (31% obesity) as the three territories where the impact of obesity and NCDs has reached alarming proportions. This results in a real cost to both countries and companies, which is why the time is right for a major initiative.
Dr. Safeeya Mohammed, firmly believes in a quote by Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine which states, “The greatest medicine of all is to teach people how not to need it.” That path in pursuit of wellness and wellbeing, while reducing this “dis-ease” burdened economy, has culminated in the formulation of a national, corporate-driven approach to improving our health outcomes, a Global Summit and Ecosystem carded for April 2019.
“In 2009, the seed for transformational change was implanted in my consciousness,” Dr. Mohammed noted. “On being selected to represent T&T in the International Visitor Leadership Program diplomatic exchange program, facilitated by the U.S. Department of State, where interactions with leading organizations in Public Health, Preventative Medicine and Capacity Building were being initiated, that’s where the genesis of my future endeavours really began.” Just two years later, in 2011, Dr. Mohammed’s contributions to T&T were recognized, at the University of West Indies 50th Jubilee Celebration, where she was named one of the 50 distinguished Alumni - the youngest female doctor chosen among her graduating peers over the past 50 years. In 2014, she then had the distinct honour of serving as the personal physician to Malala Yousafzai, the Nobel Peace Prize winner and global activist; a period that emboldened Dr. Mohammed’s pursuit of changes she wished to see in T&T.
Anchoring on her present training, under the SDG Program for Health and Sustainability at the United Nations Institute of Training and Research and experiences across several roles in health and human development, this pursuit to wellness and sustainability for all, transitioned her from the hospital systems to the realization of her company, SISU Global Wellness in March 2018. SISU Global Wellness is a consultancy focused on reducing the healthcare burdens as the result of NCDs (Non Communicable Diseases), utilizing global practices of wellness transformations and sustainability customized to our local needs and environment. Dr. Mohammed also serves as a member of the global NCD Alliance and the Wellness Council of America, the Leader in Workplace Wellness.
SISU Global Wellness’ partnership with Guardian Media Limited is intended to create a powerful inaugural annual event – the Wellness, Innovation, Technology and Sustainability (WITS) Summit + Ecosystem, which will be formally launched at this Thursday’s Investor Roundtable Briefing to an invited group of stakeholders and members of the community encompassed with the chosen theme “W.I.T.S.”
Dr. Mohammed explained the vision further, “The WITS Summit and Ecosystem is intended to position Trinidad & Tobago healthcare providers onto the forefront of innovation; to navigate the management in health and wellness leveraging technology and sustainability in that pursuit.” The WITS Summit will however extend just beyond the two days in 2019. The CEO of SISU Global Wellness explained, “The WITS Summit is a year-long initiative. Companies who attend as delegates or join us as sponsor partners will not only have the opportunity to take away valuable information from our speaking platform, but also have the chance to connect with other global companies excelling in corporate wellness and exhibitors in the Ecosystem, who can offer technological tools to improve the quality of life for employees.”
With regard to the Summit, delegates will have the opportunity to hear from Keynote Speaker Dr. Tom Price, former United States Secretary of Health and Human Services as well as Matthew Cassetta, United States Deputy Chief of Mission in Brazzaville, Congo who has worked in areas of sustainability across Brazil, Nicaragua, Gabon and the Congo. Short-form panels and presentations will also present local context and ways forward. On both days, delegates as well as members of the public will also be able to visit the innovative exhibitor Ecosystem space – replete with live nutrition classes, medical/biometric testing, fitness drives, yoga classes, mindfulness and more – offering a hands-on way to achieve wellness or learn about technology and sustainability initiatives on a more personal level – where it really counts.
The timing is critical for Caribbean countries such as ours. Every dollar spent on health is a dollar that is lost towards development nationally. If we can effectively reduce the health burden on governments who face a citizenry in which 80% of premature death as the result of NCD’s, we can move to a more sustainable future, with a healthier and more productive population as well.
Series continued in this week’s Thursday Business and Health+. For partnerships enquiries or early access to delegate tickets, email wits@guardian.co.tt