Civil society speaking out through petition

By Kerri Gooding

ALMOST 100 per cent of the cases of cervical cancer can be prevented if only people accessed screening.

Therefore, this week the Healthy Caribbean Coalition launched an E-Petition regionally to let everyone who makes up the civil society speak out, to get the heads of governments across the Caribbean to increase Caribbean women’s access to affordable cervical cancer screening.

From right to left: Vice President of the Barbados Association
of Medical Practitioners, Dr. Vikash Chatrani, is adamant that
almost 100 per cent of the cervical cancer cases can be prevented.
Looking on are President of the National Organisation of
Women (NOW), Marilyn Rice-Bowen; President of the Healthy
Caribbean Coalition, Prof. Trevor Hassell; and Director of the
Chronic Disease Research Centre (CDRC), Prof. Anselm Hennis.

Though there is a close relationship between civil society, the private sector and the government as they all aim to tackle the epidemic of non-communicable diseases, President of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Prof. Trevor Hassell, said that these three components of society have to play their individual parts to slow this epidemic as well.

Prof. Hassell said, “Civil Society has tools in its toolbox – advocacy.”

The aim of the E-Petition is to energise, stimulate and motivate policymakers to further their actions. Looking at a strategy implemented by President of the United States Barack Obama, the hope is that though the goal is 5 000 000 signatures, that the level of response will stir a certain level of action reflective of the signatures accumulated, whether the target is met or not.

He stressed that the petition is not an adversarial initiative. “It is one in which we are providing a voice to the community to say this is a priority. Though you [the governments] are [acting], we would like you to do more.”

The initiative is ambitious and unique as the Barbados Cancer Society joins cancer societies across the region. The E-Petition is a first-time occurrence as these non-governmental organisations are working collaboratively for one cause: more access to screening.

Manager of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Maisha Hutton, reiterated the fact that the initiative is merely allowing everyone to get a chance to have their say.

Hutton took the opportunity to show how easily each person can add their signature for the good cause through Facebook, and help take the Coalition and region one signature closer to the target each time. (KG)