‘Know Your Numbers’ Road Tour Helping to Save Lives

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says the ‘Know Your Numbers’ road tour has been successful in detecting life-threatening diseases or persons at-risk for these conditions.

He said some 25 per cent of those screened have presented with an issue and have been referred for follow-up care.

“There are people who were on the verge of getting a stroke, a blood clot, heart attack, or losing a limb, but this intervention allows us to give guidance and counselling to them. I am very pleased with the programme; I think it is fit-for-purpose,” he noted.

“It is responding to the population and making it easier and more attractive to people to simply walk off the street to come and get checked instead of going to a health centre,” Dr. Tufton added.

Dr. Tufton was speaking at the Wesley Methodist Church in Mandeville, Manchester on Friday (March 22), which was the eighth stop on the island wide Know Your Numbers tour.

The events, which started last year, are designed to encourage Jamaicans to know the numbers that are vital to their health and well-being.

Persons can access free tests for body mass index (BMI), vision, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar; HIV/Syphilis and prostate blood tests; nutrition counselling; fitness checks; and dental screening and impression.

Dr. Tufton said that Mandeville’s tour stop will add to the more than 75,000 tests already conducted, with about three-four tests done per person, and bring the numbers closer to 100,000 tests.

“We were in St. Thomas last Friday [March 15] and we saw 831 people doing an average of four tests, amounting to more than 3,000, and I don’t know what today’s numbers will be.

“We also have smaller [events] like yesterday [March 21] when I was at a Seventh day Adventist church in Whitehall off Red Hills Road, where the church partnered with us,” he pointed out.

Dr. Tufton noted that the Ministry had set a target of 500, 000 screenings over a year and a half under the initiative.

“We started a little late but it has gathered momentum, so we are encouraged. The tests reveal a lot and part of the process is to do an analysis to see the state of health of the population and encourage follow-up for people for their issues,” he noted.

By 3:37 p.m. on Friday, some 400 people had been screened for a range of health conditions and referred for referral and counselling where necessary.

Among them is Paula Butler, who told JIS News that she came to get blood pressure and sugar tests and to have her eyes checked.

“I have been going to doctor over the years, but I am happy I came,” she said.

Paul Harris, who said that he only visits the doctor when he is not feeling well, told JIS News that he came to the tour stop because he wanted to “know his numbers”.

“Seeing that there is an island-wide drive, I came to find out about mine. I have done my BMI, I have done my vision test and blood pressure check so far and I am waiting to do a cholesterol test and blood sugar test,” he noted.

Mr. Harris said that the ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign is a good idea as it encourages people to be aware of what is happening in their bodies.

“Plus, it is free, so we should capitalise on it,” he said.

Persons were also fitted for dentures through the Second Chance Smiles programme.