A Health Fair to Raise Awareness on Kidney Disease

This morning, the Belize Kidney Association partnered with the Belize Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, BELAIFA, to host a health fair in an effort to raise public awareness on kidney diseases and renal failure.  The activity was held at the Lions parking lot where several stalls were placed for persons to get tested and learn more about the work of the Kidney Association.  News Five spoke with administrator Ana Cortez.

Ana Cortez, Administrator, Kidney Association

“We organized this health fair along with BELAIFA so as to bring awareness to the community about kidney disease and all related non-communicable diseases.”

Isani Cayetano

“What is the importance of raising awareness on kidney disease and its effect on our population?”

Ana Cortez

Ana Cortez

“It’s very important for us to bring awareness to the population, hence the reason why all this health fair and educational awareness that we engage every month.  It’s because to us, it’s very important to bring out the message across so that people know that they need to change their lifestyles and to us it’s very important as it helps us to bring out our association so that people could know that there is help out there and by changing their lifestyle they would need to drink a lot more water, include fruits and vegetables and like we always say, rest exercise, you know, those are the main factors.  And remember, you need to control your diabetes and hypertension.  Those are the two main causes of renal failure.  And also out here we had different associations and government departments out here, for example, NDACC, HECOPAB which were offering HIV testing as well.”