Guyana has taken a stance on public health, and the latest initiative — a cross-sectoral effort to promote healthier diets — is a good move by authorities for the wellbeing of its citizens. This approach, which encourages collaboration across various sectors, marks a significant leap forward in addressing one of the most pressing health challenges facing the country today: poor dietary habits.
Guyana, like many nations, grapples with rising rates of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, largely attributed to unhealthy eating patterns. Traditional strategies, often limited to public health campaigns and educational programmes, have struggled to make a substantial impact on dietary behaviour. Recognising the need for a more integrated approach, this newspaper reported that outgoing United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator in Guyana, Yasim Oruc, called on Government to strengthen collaboration in the area of food and nutrition by strategically implementing programmes that would better educate the public, particularly youths, about the physical and psychological benefits of consuming nutritious food.
The UN Resident Coordinator stated: “There is some cross-sectoral work, and it’s in your government’s voluntary national review on the Sustainable Development Goals that we have the biggest difficulty in capturing things in SPG targets, where multiple agencies, multiple parts of government, need to contribute…at the FAO conference, the presentations made, not just for Guyana but for the region at large, is we’re seeing new world problems in nutrition, from child obesity to other things like cardiovascular diseases, and I would love to see a movement, a coalition on nutrition.”
The success of this cross-sectoral initiative lies in its multifaceted approach. By engaging various sectors — such as agriculture, education, business, and community organizations — it should aim to create a holistic environment that promotes healthier eating habits. Some key components that would ensure its success would include supporting agricultural diversification and local food production. The initiative aims to make healthy foods more accessible to all Guyanese. Schools and educational institutions play a crucial role in shaping dietary habits from a young age. Integrating nutrition education into school curricula and promoting healthy meal options in school can help instill lifelong healthy eating habits in children. The food industry’s involvement is crucial for transforming dietary habits on a larger scale. By incentivizing businesses to offer healthier food options and transparently-labelled nutritional information, the initiative aims to make healthier choices easier and more appealing for consumers. Local community groups and organizations are pivotal in reaching individuals where they live. Grassroots efforts — including cooking classes, health fairs, and community gardens — can drive home the importance of healthy eating, and provide practical, actionable advice for improving diets.
While the initiative is promising, achieving meaningful change would require overcoming entrenched dietary habits and addressing barriers that limit access to healthy foods. Additionally, there must be a concerted effort to ensure that the benefits of this initiative reach all regions in Guyana.
The initiative’s emphasis on cross-sectoral collaboration can foster solutions. The cross-sectoral initiative to encourage healthier diets represents a progressive approach to public health. By integrating efforts across agriculture, education, business, and community organisations, Guyana is setting a powerful example of how coordinated action can foster a culture of health and wellness.
Speaking on the initiative, Agriculture Minister Zulfiqar Mustapha recently said that government is actively working to better streamline inter-sectorial collaboration to address blind spots.
The success of this initiative would not only be measured by improvements in dietary habits, but is crucial to maintain momentum, address challenges head-on, and continually adapt the strategy based on feedback and outcomes.
