By Alecia Leon:
Hanover is facing a troubling health challenge.
Between 2011 and 2020, the parish recorded a 47% increase in premature deaths from Jamaica’s four major non-communicable diseases—cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases. The parish’s NCD mortality rate also rose from 414 to 536 deaths per 100,000 population, placing Hanover as Jamaica’s most seriously affected parish.
Those numbers are more than statistics. They represent lives cut short, families affected by chronic illness and a growing need to rethink how communities approach health and wellness.
It is against this backdrop that Isheeba Wellness and Miss Jamrock have come together three Sundays ago, to spearhead Yoga on the Beach free of cost, at Bull’s Bay Beach in Lucea.
And the women behind the initiative are on a mission.
Their goal is simple but potentially profound: encourage Hanover residents to move more, become more conscious of their health and discover accessible ways to incorporate wellness into everyday life.
The idea emerged from a conversation about health and wellness between Kemetic Yoga and Alexander Technique teacher Ma Isheeba, internationally known as Chyna Whyne of Isheeba Wellness and Claudia Gardner of Miss Jamrock, a journalist and longstanding Hanover advocate who is also Executive Director of the 1723 Community Development Trust.
Hanover’s Alarming Health Statistics
As Ma Isheeba explained, the discussion turned to Hanover’s health statistics—and what they discovered was alarming.
“We looked at some of the statistics about Hanover versus the rest of Jamaica,” she explained. “Hanover has the most men that are obese in Jamaica, and the wellness in Hanover is low. It’s not up to par, so some injection of wellness needs to happen in Hanover.”
Obesity, Diabetes and Hypertension Choking Hanover
For Gardner, the statistics relating to the parish of her birth, made the decision to act personal.
“The data certainly support the concern. According to the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey III, Hanover’s overall obesity prevalence stands at 33.8%, the second-highest among Jamaica’s parishes. Among men, 22.9% are obese—the highest prevalence recorded among Jamaican men. Among women, 45% are obese, highlighting the serious burden facing both sexes,” she explained.
“Hypertension is also a major concern. 43.6% of Hanover residents were classified as hypertensive, placing the parish among Jamaica’s highest-ranking for the condition. Among men, the prevalence was 42.6%, while 44.7% of women were affected. Perhaps even more striking is the diabetes data. An estimated 18.7% of Hanover men were living with diabetes—the highest estimated prevalence among men in the survey,” she added.
With the Sunday sunrise and Wednesday sunset yoga sessions held weekly, the two women are bringing together Ma Isheeba’s experience as a yoga and Alexander Technique teacher with a shared commitment to encouraging healthier lifestyles in Hanover.
The focus is particularly important for women in Hanover, who have been joining the classes and encouraging their friends to attend.
Hanover Women Burdened
Available data show that Hanover women face a substantial burden of NCD-related risks. Obesity among women is high, hypertension affects a significant proportion of the female population, and physical-activity data reveal an important gap.
The Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey III found that 41.9% of Hanover women had low levels of physical activity, while only 19.2% were classified as having high levels of physical activity. By comparison, 56.2% of Hanover men were in the high-activity category.
This means fewer than one in five Hanover women were classified as highly active.
According to Isheeba, it is imperative that the people of Hanover, a parish ironically long-known for its numerous centenarians, take charge of their personal health.
“I live in Hanover, so the fact that I am a yoga teacher, it’s a joy for me to offer yoga classes on the beach for the community. We have to take our health into our own hands now,” she said
“At Bull’s Bay Beach, which is considered one of the most spectacular beaches in Jamaica, Yoga on the Beach is creating an opportunity for people to come together, breathe, stretch, move and reconnect with their bodies,” she added.
