 ?? |
| Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, Patricia Hackett-Codrington. (FP) |
Barbadian men are being urged to take responsibility for their health.
This plea has come from Director of the Bureau of Gender Affairs, Patricia Hackett-Codrington, who said that some men were falling victim to diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, due mostly to their diet and lifestyle.
She made the comments in a recent interview with the Barbados Government Information Service, as her organisation prepares to host a Men’s Empowerment Forum on Saturday, February 16, in Independence Square, from 10:00 a.m. It is being held in collaboration with the Caribbean HIV/AIDS Alliance, the Ministry of International Transport and the National HIV/AIDS Commission.????
Mrs. Hackett-Codrington expressed the view that more men needed to recognise the value of preventative health practices and engage in early screening, since that could save their lives.
"Men are generally reluctant to seek medical attention and often have to be encouraged to do so by their partners. Even in the face of obvious symptoms, too many men are still not willing to seek the necessary attention, often times to their own detriment.
"It is for this reason that the upcoming Forum will be both timely and relevant as we seek to provide information to help men, young and old, make the right choices," she stressed.
The Director maintained that good health was dependent on the choices made and she encouraged men to attend the forum, so they could get the necessary information to help them improve their lives.
A number of health checks will be carried out during the day, including HIV testing and counselling, as well as blood sugar, cholesterol and prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests. There will also be discussions and presentations by a number of organisations, while literature on various topics will be distributed. Entertainment will be provided by male artistes, while there will be a fitness display by the Barbados Masters and Seniors Athletic Club.