Belmopan. April 10th, 2013. The Ministry of Health joins its national partners, the Belize Kidney Association and the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) – Belize to celebrate World Health Day 2013.
World Health Day 2013 campaign focuses on hypertension or, as commonly known, high blood pressure and the need to “Know your numbers.” In the Americas, at least one in three adults is diagnosed with hypertension, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and death throughout the world. One third of the already affected adult population is unaware that they are affected by the condition, reinforcing the need for checking blood pressure regularly, especially in primary healthcare settings.
The Ministry of Health has encouraged the regional hospitals across the country to setup on-location health booths for blood pressure checks. Additionally, the Minister of Health, Hon. Pablo Marin, continues to encourage the public to practice preventative measures, which include consuming less salt, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, doing regular physical activity, avoiding tobacco use and avoiding harmful use of alcohol.
World Health Day is celebrated every year on April 7th to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of WHO in 1984. An official ceremony will be held on Friday, April 12th, 2013 at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital Parking Lot, starting at 9:00 am. A health fair follows the ceremony where the opportunity to check blood pressure and “know your numbers” will be offered by health practitioners. The media is especially invited to attend.
