Taxation an effective option, says PAHO/WHO officials

DESPITE solid evidence indicating taxation is the best approach as a public health tool to address the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean, not enough countries are implementing this strategy.

This observation from Sub-regional Programme Co-ordinator, Caribbean PAHO/WHO, Jessie Schutt-Aine, who was addressing the opening ceremony of the two-day Caribbean Subregional Workshop on Alcohol, Tobacco and Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) Taxation, taking place at the Accra Beach Hotel.

The purpose of the workshop is to find cost-effective public health measures for the prevention and control of NCDs in the Caribbean.

Similar sentiments were expressed by PAHO/WHO representative, Beryl Irons, who also addressed the two-day workshop. According to Irons, “Higher tobacco taxes are a central element of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control while alcohol pricing policies, including taxation, are one of the recommended policy areas put forward in the WHO Global Strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol.”

She also noted that the PAHO Plan of Action for the Prevention of Obesity in children and adolescents includes fiscal policies to reduce children and adolescents’ consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages.

“Taxation can serve the dual goals of reducing consumption of products such as tobacco, alcohol and SSBs, by raising their prices relative to other goods and services; and generating additional revenue, which could be used for improving population’s health. Government should ensure that the additional revenue is really used for health and not be just a part of the consolidation fund.”

She lamented however that despite the potential impact and the clear mandate at the global, regional and subregional levels, the use of excise taxation as a public health measure in the Caribbean continues to be limited.

“Therefore, this workshop convened by PAHO aims to position taxation of alcohol, tobacco and SSBs as a cost-effective public health intervention for NCD prevention and control, and support national efforts to meet the mandates and commitments that countries have made,” she said.

The workshop, the first of its kind, has brought together representatives from Ministries of Health, Finance, trade officials and academia to discuss this important topic.

Schutt-Aine explained that multi-stakeholder actions are key to addressing NCDs and creating an enabling environment for health and wellness across the Caribbean as stressed in the CARICOM Strategic Plan 2015-2019, and also in the recently endorsed Caribbean Co-operation in Health.

She said it is hoped that the meeting will help to develop an approach that will be expanded to other subregions in the Americas. (JH)