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Know Your Numbers
More than 800 St. Thomas Residents Screened at #KnowYourNumbers Initiative
More than 800 St. Thomas Residents Screened at #KnowYourNumbers Initiative
Background
Approximately 830 residents of St. Thomas got screened last Thursday (March 14, 2024) at the Rudolph Elder Park in Morant Bay, St. Thomas. This reflects the largest number of persons screened since the beginning of the initiative. The health screening event was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in conjunction with SERHA, National Health Fund, Pooja Points Limited, Social Development Commission (SDC) and Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA). This is the sixth in a series of major outdoor health screenings under the #KnowYourNumbers intervention.
Residents benefited from core health services, which included screening for body mass index, blood sugar, hypertension, diabetes, vision test, cholesterol, HIV/syphilis, and oral health services such as dental checks and denture impressions were also offered.
Dr D’Oyen Smith, Senior Medical Officer of Health for the St. Thomas Health Department, explained that the “turnout indicated that persons had a genuine interest in being screened so that they could identify any kind of corrective lifestyle or medical interventions necessary that would improve their quality of life and help them live longer. We are grateful for the partnerships and community members who participated. The commitment of our staff must be commended”.
The Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, was on location and highlighted the importance of the #KnowYourNumbers. Dr. Tufton said that “you don’t know how healthy you are until you go to your doctor and do your proper health checks”.
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He added that the #Knowyournumbers campaign is very important as it encourages Jamaicans to monitor key indicators, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body mass index and other vital health metrics. By understanding and regularly monitoring these numbers, individuals can take proactive steps to manage and improve their health status before it becomes critical.
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He congratulated the hardworking team from the St. Thomas Health Department for screening the highest number of persons since the start of the #KnowYourNumbers campaign.
The #KnowYourNumbers events are planned in partnership with community leaders and civic society groups to support screening and targeting Jamaica's most vulnerable populations, especially people who live in remote, difficult, underserved, and hard-to-reach areas.
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Beneficiary of the Know Your Numbers Campaign
Beneficiary of the Know Your Numbers Campaign
Background
In response to lifestyle diseases and premature mortality, the Ministry of Health and Wellness rolled out its ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign in 2023 to encourage yearly health screening and reduce illness among the population. The programme will also feature a pathway to ensure that once diagnosed with any chronic illness, people can immediately be referred for treatment. Through collaboration with the Regional Health Authorities, the Ministry will repurpose its COVID-19 mobile units in order to offer mobile screening services across the island, coupled with community outreach programmes.
Increased efforts will be made to target the most vulnerable among the population such as people living in remote, difficult, underserved and unreached areas, to assess and provide management for illness. Core services to be offered include screening for body mass index,hypertension, diabetes, vision, cholesterol and HIV/Syphilis. Expanded services will include ECG, prostate cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, colorectal cancer, dementia, and immunization.
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Some 1,436 health tests were completed on Friday, December 1, 2023 as the Ministry of Health and Wellness in conjunction with the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) and the St. Catherine Health Department hosted the third in a series of major health screenings as part of the #KnowYourNumbers programme. The event which was held at Linstead Square, St. Catherine, saw 381 residents benefiting from core health services which included screening for body mass index, hypertension, diabetes, vision, cholesterol, and HIV/syphilis.
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More than 550 residents in Kingston registered from several screening and examinations, including dental checks, denture impressions, eye tests, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood cholesterol, body mass index, HIV, Syphilis test during the Kingston and St. Andrew leg of the Know Your Numbers Road Tour at St. William Grant Park, Downtown Kingston on Thursday, February 1, 2024. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in conjunction with the South East Regional Health Authority and the Kingston and St. Andrew Health Department to encourage more Jamaicans to get screened for lifestyle diseases.
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The aim of the #KnowYourNumbers campaign is to encourages Jamaicans to monitor key indicators, such as blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, body mass index and other vital health metrics. By understanding and regularly monitoring these numbers, individuals can take proactive steps to manage and improve their health status before it becomes critical.
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