Health fair unveils hidden health concerns
A two-day health fair hosted by the Jamaican Ministry of Health and Wellness at the University of the West Indies has shed light on the alarming prevalence of undiagnosed health conditions among the Jamaican population. Dr Martin of the Kingston and St Andrew Health Department said that these events were necessary to help in minimizing this occurrence. “Most persons don’t really think about their health on a regular basis. So by having more of these events, it puts health at the forefront, right up where people can see it on a regular basis, so they’ll know that, okay, this is something that I should be doing regularly,” stated Martin. She also noted the importance of health fairs involving primary, preparatory and high schools which afforded students exposure to health and fitness practices from a young age.
The health fair offered a range of screenings, including body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. “We have children here who are high school students, primary school students, and mostly adults who are coming to have their health screening. Some of them have never done a health screening in their lives,” she advised.
The results have revealed cause for concern. “We have seen where many have discovered that they may have uncontrolled blood pressure, uncontrolled cholesterol, uncontrolled blood sugar. Don’t know what their weight is, don’t know that they’re overweight or even obese. We’re finding that a lot of persons are finding out that they have some issues that need to be addressed,” Martin said.
This issue is in many cases a long-standing one as statistics show Jamaicans being riddled with lifestyle diseases that result in chronic illness and, in some cases, death. According to a report released in 2020 by the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MOHW), Jamaica is in the middle of an epidemic of diabetes which is responsible for the development of chronic illnesses, long-term disability and premature loss of life throughout the island. It states that the prevalence of diabetes has increased by 41.1 per cent from 2001 to 2017 among Jamaicans 15 to 74-years-old. Approximately 11.9 per cent or 236,200 of Jamaicans 15 years and older have diabetes.
It also informs that in 2016, 2339 people died from diabetes in Jamaica, accounting for 12. 7 per cent of all deaths. As a cause of death, it ranks third for men with 966 deaths and first for women with 1373 deaths. Statistics showed an overwhelming number of Jamaicans with high blood pressure. According to data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey, approximately one in three Jamaicans suffer from high blood pressure, with a prevalence rate of around 35.8 per cent among women and 31.7 per cent among men; this translates to roughly 31.5 per cent of individuals aged 15-74 years having high blood pressure as of 2017.
The fair also highlighted the importance of cervical cancer prevention. “It’s not new, it’s just that maybe persons wouldn’t know about it,” Martin explained. “With the ministry really focusing on preventing non-communicable diseases, then you’ll find that a lot of these things that persons didn’t know about are coming to the forefront,” he added. The MOHW also recorded this disease as being a major threat to Jamaica’s female populace. Current estimates from the HPV Information Centre indicates that every year 386 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer, and at atleast 247 die from the disease.
Dr Martin noted that many Jamaican women develop cervical cancer without knowing until it has progressed to a point of extreme seriousness. Martin emphasized the importance of preventative measures while also encouraging them to make use of the services offered, “It’s completely preventable. We do offer the HPV vaccine to prevent the growth of cervical cancer in women who are susceptible. And we also offer pap smears for women who are sexually active, or abused.”
