Between the swine flu scare, the toxic smoke from the city dump and the death of Cenaida Reymundo’s newborn, right about now, Belizeans have plenty of awareness about health issues. This year’s annual City Health Fair rode that wave of awareness and Jacqueline Godwin has more.
Jacqueline Godwin Reporting,
Whether you wanted to find out just how much you weigh or if you had high blood sugar the services were all available at the third annual health expo. The fair attracted quite a number of people and students who hopefully will now use the information provided to start living a healthier lifestyle. The school children also filled out questionnaires and were rewarded with treats. Each year the Belize City Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other organizations hold the event to help raise the awareness and get people to start taking good care of their health.
Zenaida Moya, Mayor - Belize City
“The primary objective was trying to institute preventative measures, preventative care versus the costly curative measures that we as a Belizean people cannot afford, not only as a people but as a nation.”
Mark Bernard, Sr. Public Health Inspector
“It starts with education, that is very important. We teach people how food spoils, how to prevent food from spoilage, we teach them the proper temperature that it should be stored at, we teach them the correct temperature that it should be heated, it should be protected from files, from roaches, dust, and other stuff like that. We do physical checks at restaurants, at the people who are selling food on the street side, especially those selling near schools, we try to put some emphasis on that and of course it is to advise them. When we encounter foods that are in our opinion unfit for human consumption, that’s when we destroy it.”
And being healthy involves more than just eating the proper foods. Dental care is just as important as highlighted in this photo exhibit by the dental department in the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Raphael Samos, Dentist
“We have noticed that there are several kids with cavities and of
course the Dental Department is trying to somehow maybe get some kind of cooperation from the private sector so that we can promote more fillings and cleaning.”
And one way you can prevent dental decay is learning how to properly brush your teeth. As explained by Dr. Rphael Samos while it is recommended for young children to use a circular motion to get them use to the habit of brushing, the method is quite different for older children and adults.
Dr. Raphael Samos,
“Once you change teeth the technique is supposed to change because if you notice, if you brush it like that which is commonly done, you don’t really get in between the teeth. So the proper way is the way they grow once you change teeth. If you notice you have more coverage. So you apply to the gum at an angle and bring it up the way they grow; the bottom ones towards the top and the top ones towards the bottom.”
There were a number of health issues highlighted at the various booths on display like the problem of teenage pregnancy and its complications.
Judy Vasquez, Managing Director - Seed of Life
“Many of them, their back is against the wall. When you find yourself in an unplanned pregnancy, who do I turn to, where do I go. Some of them can’t even speak to their mothers, sad to say, but they are really scared to even go home.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
And some of the decisions they make then put their own lives at risk.
Judy Vasquez,
“Many of them think of taking things, going to get an abortion.”
Besides the promotion of a healthy population the environment as well is also
on the top of the list of concerns. Especially with what is unfolding at the Belize City garbage dump site on the Western Highway.
Jacqueline Godwin,
Is there no solution to this thing or will it continue burning?
Mark Bernard,
“Well I believe the authorities are now looking seriously at it to put whatever resources are necessary to out it. But it is not something that you can put a defense against. It is the air, you have to breathe the air and if you are close to it and it is affecting you too much then the only solution you have is to evacuate the area and go into another area with less pollution. You see the pollution aspect in terms of people storing their garbage and the collection of the garbage and of course that is what led ultimately to the problems that we are having at the dump. But I believe plans are in place for the establishment of a sanitary landfill which is very different from an open dump like what is three miles there. That is an open dump, it is not a sanitary landfill.”
The health fair this year was held under the theme: ‘Build Your Future and Be Healthy.’ ‘Jacqueline Godwin reporting for 7News.
