Health screening for performers

More than 150 leading entertainers, band leaders and pannists will be screened at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope, as part of a new project to ensure this country’s cultural leaders and icons are healthy and ready for Carnival.

The executive medical screening would include blood testing, electrocardiogram (ECG) tests, a chest x-ray and a consultation with a doctor to review findings.

Dr Abdul Hamid, general manager, primary care at the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), said while many people felt healthy at the present time, they did not place priority on getting check-ups or ensured they are doing whatever is necessary to stay healthy. He said the NCRHA was trying to change the culture of people seeking medical care only when they fall ill.

He said they are encouraging them to get regular screenings so health issues could be identified early and addressed before simple ailments became critical. Chief executive officer Davlin Thomas said the ‘Ready For The Road - Keeping Our Culture Alive’ initiative was part of the NCRHA’s thrust to keep TT’s culture alive by taking care of current and future band leaders and performers.

“The Authority continues to reach out to various groups of society in its thrust to raise awareness of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and to improve the quality of health care provided to members of the public entrusted into our care,” Thomas said.

He said the initiative provided a preventative medical screening intervention to reverse the rapid increase of NCDs and reverse the impact they had on their emergency department and their patients.

He said the initiative targeted performers who portrayed this country’s culture at home and abroad because sometimes their schedules did not allow for them to get regular check-ups, medical screenings, eat proper meals or even pay attention to their health.