| There isn't a single negative thing
to be said about a government promoting a healthy lifestyle
among its citizens. The months-long focus on men's health
has been very well received locally, as was the World
Health Day event held on April 7 that promoted both
healthy eating habits and the importance of regular
exercise.
Across the globe, men of African descent
have consistently been among the most underserved
constituencies due to a variety of reasons, including
discrimination, lack of affordable health services,
cultural barriers, and insufficient health-related
services that cater to them.
In the latter regard, the outreach
clinics targeted at men that are being conducted by
the Ministry of Health are of particular import. Health
statistics indicate that men of African descent suffer
from the highest rate of prostate cancer in the world,
and are three times more likely to develop prostate
cancer than white men.
A closely related topic was very recently
addressed on April 15 in a seminar directed by Dr.
Darren Bruck, a urologist from the Center for Robotic
Surgery at South Miami Hospital in Miami, titled "Sexual
Desire, Drive and Dysfunction: Preserving Your Health
at Any Age." The event also addressed the high
incidence of diabetes, high blood pressure, heart-related
diseases, and other chronic illnesses as a key underlying
factor in sexual dysfunction.
Based on the 2009 edition of the world's
most universally accepted health development indicators
from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
the Caribbean is well represented, with all its countries
classified at a medium level of development or better.
Previous this year's catastrophic earthquake, so was
Haiti.
Six are classed by the UNDP at a high
level of human development, among them St. Kitts and
Nevis at #62, topped only by Barbados at #37 (in the
'very high human development' category), Antigua and
Barbuda (#47), Bahamas (#52), and followed by Trinidad
and Tobago (#64), St. Lucia (#69), and Dominica (#73).
The promotion of health on a regional
basis took a giant step forward with the recent decision
of the CARICOM Heads of Government to establish a
Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) on a phased
basis between 2010 and 2014. This new agency will
result in the merger of five regional health institutions
and create a more centralized approach to regional
health issues.
So, the Federation appears to be moving
in the right direction in focusing on promoting good
health, which will no doubt yield positive results
both currently, and down the road.
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