University students, they should be the healthiest segment of the country's adult population: they are young, active, and most of the time carefree about health concerns. Today however that notion of youths being invulnerable to illness was challenged at the University of Belize's health fair. 7NEWS was there.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
The university of Belize's campus in Belmopan was today beset by all manner of health and health related entities varying from those doing some seriously life-changing work like those testing for HIV/Aids to those more concerned with how nice your nails look and even those concerned about stress-busting. Dean of Students Dr. Martin Cuellar says the fair is held to promote healthy living.
Dr. Martin Cuellar,
"The purpose is to promoting holistic health among our students and to help foster balance in their lives. We're focusing on physical, mental, and spiritual health today so we're working with our colleagues, partners from the community, who have messages, information, and even have services to provide to students to promote that wellness.
We have a lot of free services and information available such immunization, MMR, tetanus, Hepatitis B, immunization shots for that cost over $50 in the private sector we're providing for free. We're giving free one hour rapid HIV tests with pre and post counseling thanks to the VCT clinics and the Ministry of Health. We're also providing students with breast exams, blood sugar checks, blood pressure tests, weight analysis, we have a lot of information available on sexual health, family planning."
Family planning like that which the Belize Family Life Association does. Today Uriel Pech filled out a questionnaire in the hopes of winning a prize but at the same time he learnt some useful information.
Uriel Pech,
"Its just HIV trivia like what is your knowledge about Aids and you just need to answer it. If you get more than 17 correct you get a prize."
From contraception to HIV and Aids testing being conducted by the Health Department's VCT center. Surprisingly this was a popular stall and this young man was all to eager to fill out his questionnaire and get on with the testing.
Alfonso Noble,
Are you at all fearful at what the result will be?
Student #1,
"No I just want to get the test and that's it."
Alfonso Noble,
So you'll know for sure?
Student #1,
"Yes I'll know."
And if he visited the National Drug Abuse and Control Council's booth he'd also know a bit more that just about HIV and Aids as out reach case worker Victor Pollard explained.
Victor Pollard,
"This for NDACC and for them is public education and community empowerment."
And that empowerment says Cuellar is essential in a university setting where young people are often too preoccupied with other things to take time out to look at their health.
Dr. Martin Cuellar,
"Its essential that we imbue in students of that centralized balance in their lives. After they graduate they may not have the opportunity for that kind of message to sink in and so our intent today, and we will continue this kind of activity, and so the intent is that students appreciate the value of that holistic health and they can take it with them because a healthy and holistic graduate will make for a healthy and holistic community and then we all benefit as Belizeans."
Cuellar says today's was the first ever but the fair will now be planned as an annual event.
