International Business Minister and former Minister of Health, Donville Inniss, has continued his call for Barbadians, especially men, to check their health status.

He made this appeal today at the handing-over of a $10,000 cheque to the Barbados Cancer Society from a member of the Barbados International Business community at JLT Towner, St. James House, 2nd Street, St. James.

The donation will assist in the pre-screening services for both men and women, in the areas of prostate and colon for males and breast and uterine for females.

The Minister stressed that the more individuals were screened and tested early, the more health officials could identify those who would have challenges and the easier and cheaper it would be to treat them.

???Too often individuals tend to wait for the last minute and then you have to do radical interventions, which are often very costly and this can cause the mortality rate and morbidity rate to increase???So, I want to commend the Barbados Cancer Society for the excellent work they are doing especially in the area of screening and pre-testing,??? he said.

Pointing out that many young men were not always willing to come forward and get their annual checks, Mr. Inniss blamed this on men feeling that ???they can shoulder all the pains in the world???.

???I certainly would like to encourage young Barbadian men to come forward and be tested, to come forward and get their annual checkups??? The State, last year, provided an incentive for $750 towards annual health checks, and I would like to encourage Barbadians to take advantage of that, but we also have facilities at the Cancer Society, and we would certainly like to have men come forward and take advantage of these excellent facilities and services. There is nothing macho about failing to take care of your health and nothing macho about failing to go and get tested,??? he asserted.

Also speaking at the presentation was President of the Barbados Cancer Society, Dr. Dorothy Cooke-Johnson, who expressed appreciation for the contribution, and said it gave the Cancer Society ???encouragement by ensuring these areas benefit from an injection of fuel, in the form of a $2,500 donation each???.

theresa.blackman@barbados.gov.bb

Pin It on Pinterest