Grenada has officially achieved national scaleup of the PAHO HEARTS initiative, marking a major milestone in the fight against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are no longer just a public health concern in Grenada — they are a national priority. In 2019, NCDs accounted for over 80% of all deaths in the country, with cardiovascular diseases responsible for 4 of the top 5 leading causes. By 2022, more than 80% of hospital discharges for chronic illness were due to cardiovascular conditions, while hypertension and diabetes continued to rank among the top causes of morbidity. Risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity remain alarmingly high.
Launched in February 2025 after joining the initiative in 2023, HEARTS is now implemented across all public primary care clinics. The program has already delivered measurable improvements in blood pressure control and care delivery, thanks to:
- A standardised clinical pathway for the management of hypertension, which we are now expanding to private providers
- Affordable access to essential medications through the national medicines formulary
- Digital hypertension registries replace paper-based systems
- Comprehensive training and certification of 231 health professionals
Prime Minister Hon. Dickon Mitchell, speaking at the Caricom Non-Communicable Disease and Mental Health Breakfast Meeting on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, emphasised Grenada’s commitment to HEARTS and broader health system transformation. He highlighted the link between NCDs, mental health, and the digital shift post-Covid, underscoring the need for suicide prevention, physical activity, and mindset change.
The meeting’s objectives included:
- Showcasing Caricom’s progress since the 2007 Port-of-Spain Declaration
- Securing funding for NCD initiatives
- Celebrating regional leadership in NCD and climate action
- Raising awareness of the Caribbean’s collective response
- Highlighting priority actions toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals
- Sharing best practices from national and community-led efforts
Caricom leaders, including Secretary General Dr Carla Barnette and Bahamas’ Prime Minister Honourable Phillip Davis, echoed the urgency of integrating mental health into primary care, confronting commercial drivers of poor health, and establishing stable health budgets.
Even modest improvements in hypertension control can prevent hundreds of strokes and heart attacks annually. These changes save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and strengthen communities.
Next steps:
- Institutionalising the standardised pathway across all primary care facilities
- Adopting a policy requiring validated automatic blood pressure devices in all public facilities
- Introducing 6-monthly re-certification of healthcare providers in blood pressure measurement, with incentives for compliance
- Launching a HEARTS Champions campaign to engage communities and build advocacy
- Expanding and integrating the digital hypertension registry into DHIS-2, including private sector data
- Restarting the chronic disease self-management program, prioritising hypertension
- Scaling up to HEARTS-D, extending the approach to broader NCD management
Grenada’s leadership in adopting HEARTS nationally sets a powerful example for the Caribbean. As Prime Minister Mitchell affirmed, “Grenada’s mission is to give every citizen the opportunity to improve their lives”.
Office of the Prime Minister
