Projects Abroad in Belize held their first health fair on the island on Thursday, February 18th at the Lions Den. The activity took place from 9AM to 4PM and provided very important information on health awareness. Some of the topics the fair touched on included HIV, hypertension, diabetes, nutrition, exercise and women’s health as well. Free blood pressure and glucose tests were also available at the health fair.
According Kaitlin McWhorter, Acting Country Director of Projects Abroad in Belize, the fair is open to the entire community. There were posters in different areas of the Lions Den with information on different health topics. The sole purpose of the activity was to continue spreading the awareness of healthy living among the San Pedro community. 
Besides the fair, volunteers from the organization have been visiting the various schools on the island talking about, the Zika Virus, nutrition, teeth cleaning and head washing. The team of volunteers also carried on lice treatments and physical tests. Around 800 children were checked for the parasite, and 57 were found afflicted with head lice and successfully treated.
The group of volunteers will be travelling to the mainland to continue their campaign of health awareness, but in the upcoming weeks they will be engaged in health awareness projects with the local health care officials on the island. The main areas targeted have been San Mateo and the San Pedrito subdivisions.
Currently there are sixteen volunteers with Projects Abroad, of which eight are in the public health field. Some of the volunteers worked at different schools, while others also assist with the island’s Food Bank. According to McWhorter, they tried to spread around and help in the community as much as they can.
Projects Abroad is a leading global organizer of overseas voluntary work placements. Their wide range of projects, including Teaching, Care, Conservation, Environment, Medicine, Healthcare, Sports, Culture, community projects and Journalism, are designed specifically for the needs of the communities in which they work, whilst giving their volunteers the very best experience of volunteering abroad.
For more information about Projects Abroad please visit their website at http://www.projects-abroad.org
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