Westmoreland Residents Urged to Prioritise Preventive Health

Residents of Westmoreland are being urged to embrace preventive health practices, such as colorectal cancer screening and healthier dietary choices, as part of ongoing efforts to lessen the parish’s burden of chronic diseases.

Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Marcia Graham, made the call while addressing the Westmoreland Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting in Savanna-la-Mar on March 12.

She highlighted that March is being observed as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, emphasising that the disease continues to pose a significant health challenge in the parish.

“Colorectal cancer is our number-three cancer in the parish and, more and more, we are seeing too many persons who have been diagnosed, some at an advanced stage,” she said.

Dr. Graham urged residents to pay close attention to potential warning signs and not dismiss symptoms that may indicate the disease.

“If there’s a change in your bowel habits… if you are seeing blood in your stool… you really need to have that checked out and don’t assume that it’s haemorrhoids or piles, as we call it, or something else that’s causing it… . It can be cancer,” she cautioned.

The Medical Officer advised that individuals, aged 45 and older, should undergo annual screening as a preventive measure.

“Do an annual stool test to check for blood… . That’s the starting point. If there’s something abnormal there, then your healthcare provider will do additional investigations,” she underscored.

Dr. Graham also emphasised the importance of healthy nutrition, pointing out that March features several health observances that highlight disease prevention through positive lifestyle changes.

Meanwhile, the Medical Officer pointed out that Dietetics and Nutrition Professionals Week is also being observed in March under the theme ‘Nourishing Resilience: Cultivating Wellness through Sustainable Nutrition’.

Dr. Graham said the theme underscores the importance of communities maintaining good nutrition, even during challenging times.

She is encouraging residents to explore container gardening as a practical way to improve access to fresh, healthy foods.

“You don’t need a backyard to garden. You can garden in containers, and I see more persons are now doing their garden. We want to encourage more of that, because the more [things] you grow, is the less you have to buy,” the Medical Officer said.

Dr. Graham added that maintaining good nutrition also means reducing salt intake and increasing water consumption, practices that help preserve kidney health and lower the risk of chronic illnesses.