分类： health

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has quietly emerged as one of the fastest-growing public health threats across the globe, and a new landmark research series published in *The Lancet* is sounding the alarm over the need for urgent, coordinated action. Among the leading international experts contributing to this pivotal work is Dr. Lori-Ann Fisher, a consultant nephrologist, intensivist and lecturer based at the Epidemiology Research Unit of the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) at The University of the West Indies (The UWI).

Led by Dr. Jennifer Lees of the University of Glasgow, the multi-paper series frames CKD as a rapidly escalating global health crisis, and calls for sweeping improvements in three core areas: early diagnosis, preventive care, and accessible treatment. In her commentary on the research, Lees emphasized that CKD remains one of the most underaddressed, high-impact conditions affecting global populations today. “The overriding message from our series of research papers is that there remains a pressing need for attention and resources to be focused on this condition,” Lees noted.

Current global health data underscores the scale of the problem: CKD is already the ninth leading cause of death worldwide, affecting an estimated 844 million people across all income regions. Projections from the study indicate that without targeted intervention, CKD will climb to become the fifth leading cause of global death by 2040. What makes this burden even more striking is the widespread gap in diagnosis: even as cases rise, CKD remains vastly underdetected, a gap that is particularly acute in low- and middle-income regions such as the Caribbean, where public awareness and routine screening infrastructure remain limited.

For the Caribbean, the CKD burden carries uniquely severe consequences. Data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey shows that roughly 15% of Jamaicans are currently living with CKD, and a large share of those patients are already diagnosed at advanced or high-risk stages of the disease. For Fisher, who has spent years researching CKD epidemiology across the region, the path to better outcomes hinges entirely on earlier detection. In the Caribbean, access to life-saving interventions like kidney transplants and long-term dialysis is severely limited, making early intervention far more critical than in better-resourced regions. “We now have accessible medications that treat kidney disease and reduce progression to kidney failure,” Fisher explained. “In the Caribbean, where access to transplant and dialysis is limited, detecting kidney disease early is crucial to improve outcomes. Investment in strengthening healthcare systems to detect and treat kidney disease is paramount for the health of our nations.”

One of the core barriers to early detection that the study highlights is CKD’s asymptomatic progression. In early and moderate stages, most patients experience no obvious symptoms, leading to delayed testing and treatment that often only begins once the disease has reached its most severe stages, when organ replacement therapy is already the only viable option. The research confirms that simple, low-cost urine and blood tests can effectively diagnose CKD in its early stages, but routine implementation of these screenings remains inconsistent across most national healthcare systems.

Fisher’s participation in this landmark global publication is far from an isolated contribution; it reflects The UWI’s decades-long commitment to addressing pressing regional and global health challenges through rigorous research and evidence-based policy advocacy. As a specialist with deep expertise in CKD epidemiology, sickle cell nephropathy, and lupus nephritis in the Caribbean context, Fisher has built a career advancing understanding of CKD prevalence and associated risk factors across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean. She currently also serves as Chair of the International Society of Nephrology (ISN) North America and Caribbean Regional Board, working to amplify the region’s voice in global kidney health priority-setting.

Now in its 76th year of operation, The UWI has grown from its 1948 founding as a small London-affiliated university college in Jamaica with just 33 medical students into a world-class, globally recognized institution serving nearly 50,000 students across five physical campuses and a global online network. Today, the university’s campuses include Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda, and its fully online Global Campus, with additional research and academic partnerships with leading institutions across North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Offering more than 1,000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs across fields ranging from creative arts and engineering to law, medical sciences, and social policy, The UWI stands as the Caribbean’s leading academic institution, home to the region’s largest concentration of research expertise focused on solving the most critical challenges facing Caribbean and global communities. Since 2018, The UWI has held a consistent place in *Times Higher Education* (THE) annual global university rankings, and it remains the only English-speaking Caribbean institution to be featured across four of THE’s most prestigious ranking categories: the World University Rankings, which evaluate more than 2,000 leading research-focused universities globally; the Golden Age University Rankings for institutions founded between 50 and 80 years ago; the Latin America and Caribbean Rankings; and the Impact Rankings, which assess universities based on their contributions to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This global recognition has also supported the launch of the university’s International School for Development Justice (ISDJ), a global online graduate business school focused on training the next generation of leaders to advance equitable sustainable development. As an SDG-engaged university consistently ranked among the world’s top institutions for impact, The UWI continues to center pressing public health challenges like CKD at the core of its research mission.

A new wave of mineral dust carried thousands of miles from the Sahara Desert has driven air quality across the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda into the moderate range, triggering official health warnings that sensitive population groups could face adverse impacts through at least Thursday night. This event marks the 10th significant Saharan dust intrusion recorded in the country this year, underscoring a recurring seasonal pattern that impacts the Caribbean region annually.

The Antigua and Barbuda Meteorological Service confirmed that concentrations of fine particulate matter tied to the airborne dust pushed the nation’s Air Quality Index (AQI) to between 51 and 70, prompting the activation of an Air Pollution Alert Level II. While the overall air quality remains within the acceptable range for the general public, elevated dust levels create tangible risks for vulnerable groups, officials emphasized.

Authorities have identified people living with chronic respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, senior citizens, and young children as the most vulnerable to the negative health effects of the fine dust particles. Even among the general population, a small subset of unusually sensitive people, including those with asthma, may experience moderate respiratory discomfort and related health concerns under current conditions.

In line with public health guidance, local officials are urging active children and adults, as well as anyone with pre-existing respiratory conditions, to cut back on extended strenuous outdoor activity until dust concentrations dissipate and air quality improves. Residents are also encouraged to follow official updates from the Meteorological Service and other trusted government information channels to stay informed of changing air quality conditions and revised forecasts.

This latest surge forms part of a much larger Saharan dust plume that has been traversing the entire Atlantic Ocean since early June. Data collected by the European Union’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service tracked the massive cloud stretching from the arid west coast of Africa all the way to the Caribbean basin earlier this month. Before reaching Antigua and Barbuda, the plume already degraded air quality across Cabo Verde and other Atlantic island nations along its path, matching longstanding forecasts that predicted the dust would spread across most of the North Atlantic before reaching Caribbean waters.

The Antigua and Barbuda Diabetes Association (ABDA), a leading non-profit focused on addressing one of the twin-island nation’s growing public health challenges, has formally introduced its new executive leadership team to steer the organization’s initiatives across the 2025 to 2027 term. At the helm of the new cabinet is Charity Dublin, who will serve as president, taking responsibility for setting the strategic direction of the association’s work over the coming two years.

The newly appointed leadership group will take ownership of all core ABDA programs spanning community outreach to boost public diabetes awareness, evidence-based prevention campaigns, accessible patient and caregiver education, and targeted support services for individuals living with the chronic condition across both Antigua and Barbuda. These programs fill a critical gap in the nation’s public health ecosystem, complementing government-led healthcare services with community-centered support that addresses unmet needs for affected populations.

In an official statement shared by the association, ABDA emphasized that every member of the incoming executive team has reaffirmed their commitment to advancing the organization’s core mission: fostering widespread healthy lifestyle adoption across the country, and expanding the quality and reach of support systems for everyone impacted by diabetes. From newly diagnosed patients to families managing long-term conditions, the team has prioritized centering the needs of affected communities in all upcoming planning and programming.

As the new leadership prepares to officially take office, ABDA has issued a public call for broad community participation and support for the executive team as they begin their terms of voluntary leadership and service. The association also reiterated a long-held core principle driving its work: collective, cross-community action remains the most powerful tool to meaningfully improve outcomes and quality of life for the thousands of individuals and families across Antigua and Barbuda that navigate the daily challenges of diabetes.

Public health authorities in Antigua and Barbuda are launching a targeted call to action for eligible women across Barbuda, urging them to access no-cost Human Papillomavirus (HPV) screening services designed to catch pre-cancerous changes early and cut cervical cancer mortality rates. In an official public statement released this week, the Ministry of Health, Wellness, Environment and Civil Service Affairs outlined the core goals of the new outreach, emphasizing that persistent undiagnosed HPV infection is one of the leading preventable causes of cervical cancer globally and across the Caribbean nation.

Health experts working with the ministry explain that HPV is an extremely common virus, with most sexually active people contracting some strain of it at some point in their lives. In the vast majority of cases, the infection clears on its own without intervention. However, when high-risk strains persist undetected over time, they can trigger abnormal cellular changes in the cervix that eventually develop into life-threatening cancer. Regular screening eliminates this uncertainty by identifying these early changes long before symptoms appear, when intervention is most effective and far less invasive.

Ministry representatives stressed that early detection remains the single most impactful strategy for reducing cervical cancer incidence and saving lives from the disease. Unlike many late-stage treatment options, which are often costly and carry significant side effects, routine screening is a low-cost, low-risk preventive measure that drastically improves long-term health outcomes for those who participate.

All eligible women in Barbuda can access the free screenings at the Barbuda Health and Wellness Clinic during standard weekday operating hours. For residents with questions about eligibility, appointment scheduling, or the screening process itself, officials advise contacting either the clinic directly, the nearest local health facility, or the main Ministry of Health office for more detailed information.

This free screening initiative is just one component of a broader, long-term public health strategy being rolled out across Antigua and Barbuda to expand access to high-quality women’s health services and embed a culture of preventive care across the country’s healthcare system. Public health planners note that expanding access to free preventive screening for at-risk populations aligns with global public health goals to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health threat over the coming decades.