[UPDATED] NCRHA hosts health screening day for media workers

More than 80 people from various media houses were screened at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope on Sunday as part of a programme to bring health awareness to citizens. The event was hosted by the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA).

Speaking to the media at the event, NCRHA corporate communications manager Peter Neptune said the media personnel were put through an executive medical screening that included blood testing, eye testing, a chest x-ray and a consultation with a doctor to review findings.

Neptune said the screening was part of the Ready for the Road initiative that started three years ago and was an innovation spearheaded by NCRHA CEO Davlin Thomas.

He said the initiative is to encourage more people to get tested early to detect and treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“What we have realised is that there are sectors in the country’s social groupings that don’t have access to health care because of their work schedules. For example, the media, during the week if we offer this to you, many of you would not be able to come because of the way you are scheduled to work.

“This is something that is accessible for the entire population. We are trying with this particular innovation to target you and make it more convenient for you to come for health care.”

Neptune said the NCRHA had also realised that people were coming to the emergency room but by the time they arrived it was already too late.

He said some patients might have already progressed too far into their diabetes or cancer.

“It is known internationally that, if a person does early screening, a lot of people would be able to be saved because a lot of people do not know that diabetes is reversible once it is caught early.

“A person is not genetically prone to be a diabetic unless it is type one diabetes. What we are doing is trying to capture people who are pre-diabetic early.

Neptune said the programme was part of a wider strategy the NCRHA had of expanding its reach so that more people could be screened.

He said another programme, “Walk the Talk” would meet people in their churches, mosques and temples, where everyone would be screened.

“Over the last year and a half the NCRHA has screened more than 18,000 people and counting. What this programme has done is make the population a lot healthier and they are a lot more aware of their health than in the past.

“We are also breaking the stigma that men don’t want to go to get tested. What we have coming up soon is our Men’s Day. We have been doing that over the past couple of years and we anticipate a good response again.”

Neptune said Men’s Day would be held on January 25 and on February 1, the NCRHA will be hosting a Pap Smear Day for women.

He said, in the past, the NCRHA has done screening for the Prison Service and police and after the media, the service would be available to Carnival icons, band leaders and entertainers.

“We want to get sectors of the population whose work schedules do not allow them to access health care.

“They are also influential people in the communities. When they understand the importance of being screened they would share with others.”

Neptune said all the services were available to the population during the week but a lot of people were not aware of that.

This story has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

More than 80 people from various media houses were screened at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope on Sunday as part of a programme to bring health awareness to citizens. The event was hosted by the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA).

Speaking to the media at the event, NCRHA corporate communications manager Peter Neptune said the media personnel were put through an executive medical screening that included blood testing, eye testing, a chest x-ray and a consultation with a doctor to review findings.

Neptune said the screening was part of the Ready for the Road initiative that started three years ago and was an innovation spearheaded by NCRHA CEO Davlin Thomas.

He said the initiative is to encourage more people to get tested early to detect and treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“What we have realised is that there are sectors in the country’s social groupings that don’t have access to health care because of their work schedules. For example, the media, during the week if we offer this to you, many of you would not be able to come because of the way you are scheduled to work.

“This is something that is accessible for the entire population. We are trying with this particular innovation to target you and make it more convenient for you to come for health care.”