Over the past decade, the regional governments in Grenada and the Caribbean region, together with public health and clinical institutions, have turned their attention to tacking the rising prevalence of non-communicable chronic diseases, in particular, hypertension, diabetes and cancer. The emergence and rising prevalence of these lifestyle diseases are suggestive of a correlation with the cultural transformation that overtook the region. In the first quarter of 2020, the region’s health landscape turned another corner with the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Improving the health status of Caribbean populations is at the forefront of the agenda of the regional public health institutions and, in producing this book, we provide support for evidenced-based public health practice in the Caribbean region. We hope readers find the issue informative to understanding the public health situation in the Caribbean and will motivate affirmative action to improve public health.
