Get well on World Health Day

The overall wellness of people is an important factor to the mortality rate of a nation.  In Belize there are ongoing campaigns to raise the level of awareness on lifestyle illnesses that affect man, woman and child.  Organizations such as the Belize Diabetes Association and BFLA have campaigned endlessly to educate the public on various health issues.  News Five’s Isani Cayetano attended an event in celebration of World Health Day that was organized in part by the Belize City Council.

Isani Cayetano, Reporting

It is the first in a series of collaborative efforts between the municipal government, the NGO community and the Ministry of Health that has yielded tangible results; a playground for children to recreate where today, at a health fair, adults received checkups free of cost.  Dr. Jorge Polanco represents the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Jorge Polanco, Deputy Dir. Of Health Services

“The partnership, the alliances that need to be strengthened or created in some cases between the ministries of government, in this case the Ministry of Health, and different community organizations is fundamental in order to really maximize resources to provide services needed by the community.  Health is just one of those services and today being World Health Day the City Council has been very aggressive and very proactive in promoting the opening of this health fair within the topic of having a clean environment.”

Belize City Mayor Zenaida Moya-Flowers says the assertiveness of the City Council led to the sprucing up of the Fred Westby Park in the Yarborough community.

Zenaida Moya-Flowers, Belize City Mayor

Zenaida Moya

“We have, you know, an initiative whereby we’re trying to deal with all the different parks.  I know there’s a number of parks that are there and there’s a lot more that needs to be established because believe it or not there are particular areas where no parks are in.  You look in the Lake Independence Area, we’re still trying to establish a park there. The park, this particular Fred Westby Park though is a park that is, you know, it’s also a part of the tourism zone area.  So let me put it out there people it’s right next to the tourism zone area.  You look at all the tourism sites that are right around us, you know all the major sites and you will see it’s also a part.  But it goes more than that; it’s for the children.”

While these children made use of the newly renovated facilities adults were busy learning more about sexual health and proper dieting.  Olga Romero took advantage of the opportunity to check her blood-sugar level.

Olga Romero

Olga Romero, Visitor

“I’ve been checking myself all my life.  I am seventy-six years old and I take care of myself.”

Isani Cayetano

“You took a few tests earlier, what are the results like?”

Olga Romero

“A little, the sugar was a little high.  But not too high but I should check it again.”

Isani Cayetano

“What do you plan on doing to kind of bring it down a bit in terms of maybe your diet or exercise and what have you?”

Olga Romero

“I usually do diets.  I diet myself, I eat lots of fruits and I am not a big eater.  I take care of myself.”

Isani Cayetano

“Any exercises?”

Olga Romero

“Walking, that’s all I do.”

And that form of exercise is helpful not only in maintaining physical fitness but also in dealing with the effects of diabetes.  It is estimated that as many as thirteen point one percent of the population over twenty years old are affected by this silent killer. Belize ranks the highest in diabetes related mortality within the Caribbean. Reporting for News Five I am Isani Cayetano.

Similar activities were held countrywide to commemorate World Health Day.