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(FP)

The Barbados Nurses Association (BNA) will be celebrating Nurses Week from Sunday, May 12, until Saturday, May 18, with a number of activities.

The week will begin with a church service on Sunday, May 12, to mark International Nurses Day, at the St. Cyprian’s Anglican Church, 7th Avenue Belleville, St Michael, beginning at 8:00 a.m. This year’s theme: Closing the Gap: The Millennium Development Goals 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, is intended to be a countdown to 2015 – the target date for accomplishing the goals – with emphasis on the health-related goals 6, 5 and 4.

There will also be a seminar on Wednesday, May 15, at the Aquatica Beach Resort (formerly Grand Barbados Beach Resort) from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.?? Topics include: Combat HIV and AIDS by Chief Nursing Officer, Dr. Wendy Sealy; Combat Malaria and other Diseases by Senior Environmental Health Officer, Tyrone Applewhaite; Improve Maternal Health by Mid-wifery Tutor at the Barbados Community College, Rose Hutton-Taylor; and Reduce Child Mortality by Acting Deputy Chief Public Health Nurse, Anne Murrell.

The BNA will host a Community Health Fair at Jubilee Gardens, The City, on Friday, May 17, from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Members of the public will be able to access a range of services such as blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol testing as well as HIV tests. Businesses will also display a number of health products and medical supplies. In addition, a wealth of health information will be available.

Chairperson of the activities for Nurses Week, Onell Alleyne-Edghill, said the health fair was usually popular with persons who might not otherwise attend the polyclinics.

"Some persons either don’t get a chance to go to the doctor for these tests or if you tell them to go to the polyclinics, they say the wait is too long. So they use health fairs [like the upcoming one at Jubilee Gardens] to get their tests done," she explained. For further information on any of the Nurses Week activities persons are advised to contact Beverly Hoyte, at the BNA at 427-5627.

melissa.rollock@barbados.gov.bb

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