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Caribbean Wellness Day observance… Guyanese benefit from health fair, wellness information
Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton interacts with participants at the Caribbean Wellness Day activity
Scores of Guyanese benefited from free health checks and treatment as the Ministry of Public Health hosted yet another successful Caribbean Wellness Day Fair at the Square of the Revolution, Georgetown on Saturday.
This year, Caribbean Wellness Day is being observed under the theme: “Improving the quality of life of the Region’s ageing population”
The participants were treated to voluntary HIV counseling and testing, free dental care, Body Mass Index, (BMI) testing and counseling, eye care screening and other aspects of health care information.
The event featured Minister of Public Health, Dr. George Norton; PAHO/WHO Representative, Dr. William Adu- Krow; reigning Ms. Guyana Universe, Lisa Punch, and the Chief Medical Officer (Ag), Dr. Morris Edwards.
In his feature address, the Public Health Minister noted that the focus of this year’s observance is primarily the impact of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) on the health of the elderly population.
“The impact of the adult population has over the years attracted a great amount of resources and has received significant attention by policymakers and clinicians,” Dr Norton said.
He added that the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Public Health in particular have been aware of this emerging threat and have embarked on bold and aggressive steps to address this issue.
Guyana, at the CARICOM Heads of Government Meeting in September of 2007, took a leading role in the adumbration and adoption of the now famous Port of Spain Declaration to foster wellness among all citizens.
Dr. Norton noted point 10 of that Declaration outlines the importance of promoting policies and actions aimed at increasing physical activity in the entire population as a vehicle for improving the health of all.
“We (must) commit to increasing adequate public facilities such as parks and other recreational spaces to encourage physical activity by the widest cross-section of our citizens.”
The Public Health Minister further detailed that the Ministry of Public Health will be putting in place various programmes, including medical outreaches with the aim of reaching the wider cross section.
Wellness Day is observed every year on the second Saturday in September. Inaugurated in 2008, Caribbean Wellness Day (CWD) is an annual event which provides an opportunity to increase the awareness of the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Caribbean.
Over the next 20 years, NCDS will cost more than $30 trillion, representing 48 per cent of global GDP in 2012. NCDS are taking and will continue to take a severe toll not only on the individual health of citizens but on the National budgets of all Nations.
NCDs are diseases of long duration and generally slow progression, thus imposing a high burden on society in both human and economic terms.
The four main NCDs- Cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases are the greatest cause of premature deaths and morbidity worldwide. These go hand in hand with widespread risk factors of tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol.
Caribbean Wellness Day 2015 was observed under the theme ‘Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Ageing”.
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