NCRHA walks the talk

This is a health promotion/screening initiative geared toward diagnosing, educating and empowering members of the public about the importance of preventing and managing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

At the Tunapuna church on January 29, some 100 church members benefited from a range of services which included complete medical checkups, H1N1 vaccinations, and blood sugar, blood pressure and HIV testing, carried out by NCRHA doctors and nurses, all free of charge.

Chief executive officer of the North Central Regional Health Authority Davlin Thomas said Walk-The-Talk answers the clarion call for a much greater emphasis on primary care and public health by creating and exploring relationships in our society via community organisations and using already existing infrastructure to establish prevention-oriented health care systems.

Thomas added that Walk-The-Talk was the artery and the window to facilitate a flow of information and services to empower communities to become healthier.

“What we are seeing, essentially, is a building of networks and relationships through service that would supersede the confines of hospital walls and enter into our communities to provide solutions before non-communicable chronic diseases escalate into health problems that will require secondary and tertiary care,” he said.

The general manager, Primary Care, Dr Abdul Hamid, has acknowledged “that an increase in early screening, detection and treatment would essentially see a decrease in the overflow of serious cases that are admitted to the hospital.” January’s outing was the project’s seventh instalment since its inception on December 18, 2016. Other groups to have benefited thus far are: • The Curepe Presbyterian Church, Curepe; • The Nur E Islam Masjid, El Socorro; • TML, St Joseph; • The Good Shepherd Anglican Church; • St Augustine South Government Primary School; • Equal Opportunities Commission Health Fair.

The project will continue to partner with various institutions, including but not limited to, mosques, mandirs, churches and workplaces throughout the NCRHA’s catchment area.

NCRHA’s chief operating officer Dr Raveed Khan said Walk-The- Talk would soon be expanding its service to include, among other things, palliative care.

Chairman of the North Central Regional Health Authority Steve De Las, and the board of directors underscored the NCRHA’s desire to be more proactive, with particular importance being placed on a preventative approach to health care, in order to lessen the need for reactive and curative approaches.

Any community- based organisation interested in having the NCRHA team provide preventative medical services can contact its Office of Primary Health Care Services at 662-4206 (Tel/ Fax) or 645-3232 ext.

2097/2098.