- Jamaicans urged to access testing for NCDs
KINGSTON, Jamaica. Tuesday, May 7, 2024: More Jamaicans are being encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to screen for illnesses, such as diabetes and hypertension, at a time when more people are falling ill or otherwise dying younger due to these diseases.
According to the Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, the results of the Know Your Numbers intervention this past year help to make the case for this.
“This programme has seen more than 122,000 screenings in blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index and cholesterol. We also did eye screenings, sexual and reproductive health and oral health screenings,” he told Parliament during his Sectoral presentation on Tuesday (May 7).
“The results confirmed what we knew, that there is an increase in lifestyle illnesses with a quarter or 25.4% of those screened receiving adverse results: 16% with elevated blood sugar levels, 43.2% with hypertension, 36.8% with high body mass index, and 4.0% with high blood cholesterol levels,” he added.
He noted that most of the Jamaicans returning adverse results were unaware of their conditions.
“Many had to be referred to follow up with their doctors at health centres or private doctors,” Dr. Tufton said.
“Let me reiterate, health screening can save your life. Getting a yearly screening is the message and Know Your Numbers is the journey we are on to carry that message and make it possible,” the Minister added.
Know Your Numbers focuses on getting Jamaicans to screen at least once each year to know their health status and what they need to do to modify their behaviour to reduce illness and premature mortality.
The community outreach portion of the initiative is carried out through the repurposing of mobile units to offer mobile screening services to the community, place of work, and play.
The outreach events are planned in partnership with community leaders and civil society groups to support screening and target the most vulnerable populations in Jamaica. These include people living in remote, difficult, underserved and unreached areas, to assess and provide management for illness.