Health education officer declares ‘War Against the NCDs’ through children’s publication

HEALTH PROMOTION and education officer for St Ann and author Kerry-Ann Patterson-Blake is hoping to make a good impression with her recently released children’s book – War Against the NCDs (non-communicable diseases).

NCDs are typically caused by unhealthy behaviours and are the leading cause of deaths globally.

Examples of these are Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, epilepsy, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and cerebrovascular disease (stroke).

The book is about a group of kid superheroes who fight various NCDs and learn about the wide-ranging types of diseases, the symptoms and effects, as they go along.

Patterson-Blake expresses the hope that the publication will be added to the booklist for the 2025-26 academic year.

“The National Standards Curriculum has an area for [information about] lifestyle diseases to be taught … the health and family life curriculum also has the same. So if I could get [my publication] on the booklist as a supplementary reader or as a text, it would be awesome for the 2025-26 [academic year],” she said.

Patterson-Blake revealed that she intends to publish a workbook which accompanies the story book.

The author states that the idea came from data she has been exposed to working in health education.

“As health education officers, we must read before we deliver content to the public. When we read, we find out that seven out of 10 persons, according to the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey, die from an NCD,” she said.

“We are also finding that 40 per cent of those affected by NCDs are not aware. So, with that said, and so many adults dying, I thought we could reach our children. That is why I wrote that story … to try to appeal to the younger populace. I believe if we can reach them now with these positive messages, we can, perhaps, change their eating habits,” Patterson-Blake maintained.

There was a noticeable turnout of key health and education sector stakeholders for the book’s recent launch at the Holiday Haven Resort in St Ann.

STRONG SUPPORT

Patterson-Blake admitted that she was heartened by the strong support of her peers which, she said, serves as motivation for her to strive to achieve much more.

“I was overwhelmed, I felt humbled. I felt the need to continue to strive for excellence, because now I have set the bar high for myself. I feel the need to continue in this vein and to see how I can produce even more literary works as it pertains to the other topics we must cover as health educators. It really impresses upon you [the need] to do more,” she expressed.

Patterson Blake also recently published a colouring book titled Colour Me Healthy from A-Z : Destroying Non-Communicable Diseases.

Meanwhile, stakeholders who participated in the book launch underscored the importance of the publication in combating NCDs.

Director of Health Promotion and Education in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Takese Foga, in a video message, commended the author for the publication’s concept, describing NCDs as “such a significant area to highlight”, adding that “indeed, our country is in a war against NCDs”.

“I am sure, right now, each person knows at least one [other] person who has an NCD; and truth be told, many persons I am speaking to now may actually have NCDs,” she outlined.

Consequently, the director said that for Patterson-Blake “to utilise the information garnered as a health promotion and education officer and bring it alive in such a creative way, targeting our children, is really commendable, and I am very pleased and proud”.

Meanwhile, St Ann Health Department Parish Manager, Nadia Nunes, in congratulating Patterson-Blake, highlighted the importance of teaching children about maintaining healthy lifestyles.

“We need to indoctrinate our children about healthy lifestyles. The children are the key to changing this battle [against NCDs] we are losing, this war we are losing. Let us use this book as that stepping stone to get into the minds of our children, so that they can understand and appreciate that they are going to make a difference for the society that we will have 10 to 20 years down the road,” Nunes said

For her part, paediatrician at the St Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital, Dr Keisha Livingstone Sinclair, informed that NCDs are among the top five main causes of death in persons under 70 in Jamaica.

Consequently, she underscored the importance of instilling healthy consumption habits in children.

The publication is available at several pharmacies and bookstores in Kingston, St Ann and St Mary.

The publication can also be purchased on Amazon.com.