The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) is teaming up with health workers from the Central Health Region to bring the convenience of free basic health screenings to your doorstep. These screenings, which include glucose, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and malaria tests, are designed to help determine your overall health status. Those interested in taking advantage of this service can contact phone numbers 628-5232 or 6278868 to arrange a visit to your location. The service is available on Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30AM to 10:30AM.
To raise awareness, below is information on the screening offered through this initiative:
Glucose screening measures your blood sugar level at the time you’re tested. You’ll drink a liquid that contains glucose, and then one hour later, your blood is drawn to check your blood sugar level. A typical result is 140 mg/dL or lower. Monitoring blood sugar is essential to determine if you are meeting your glucose targets, which helps to reduce high and low blood sugar and avoid long-term diabetes complications.
Blood pressure screening is essential because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms and cannot be detected without being measured. It increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Adults should be screened for blood pressure once every two years, starting at age 20. A blood pressure cuff is wrapped around your bare upper arm and pumped to tighten. The cuff is slowly deflated, and the monitor shows your blood pressure numbers.
Body mass index (BMI) measures body fat based on height and weight and applies to adult men and women. This calculator provides BMI and the corresponding BMI weight status category for adults 20 and older. Knowing your BMI can help you and your general practitioner determine any health risks you may face if it’s outside of the healthy range. Being overweight can lead to a range of chronic conditions, including Type 2 Diabetes.
Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites transmitted to people through infected mosquitoes. In the Americas, 481,788 cases of malaria and around 92 deaths were reported in 2022. Malaria is preventable and curable. A blood test can determine with certainty whether a person has malaria. It is necessary to test on any person with a fever. Without a blood test, even a doctor cannot say with certainty whether a person has malaria.
The SPTC and the Central Health Region believe in proactive measures to safeguard the well-being of our island community, ensuring a safer and healthier environment for all! For more updates, please visit https://www.facebook.com/SPtowncouncil/.
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