Today, Jamaicans and citizens of the Eastern Caribbean are living longer than ever before. However, the good news of a life expectancy exceeding 70 years presents a unique dichotomy: people enjoy longevity but the quality of life is rapidly decreasing.New World Bank research warns that Jamaica and the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) are facing a health crisis with rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which disproportionately affect poor families, with possible side effects of disability and premature death, and worsening poverty as people pay for medical treatment out of their own pockets. In the OECS, the report estimates that the annual cost for treating a diabetic ranges from US$322 to US$769.
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