— Minister Lawrence tells health fair 

THE Ministry of Public Health is zeroing in on poor health practices in Guyana, according to Minister of Public Health, Volda Lawrence. Speaking at the Ministry of Public Health mega health fair on July 22 at the Stabroek Square, Georgetown, Lawrence said efforts will be made to foster  healthy lifestyles in all Guyanese.The health fair featured governmental and non-governmental organisations and targeted vendors and passersby of the very busy area. Patrons benefited from HIV tests, dental services, blood sugar and pressure tests in addition to a great degree of health education and other services. “Our mandate is to ensure that we have a healthy nation,” Public Health Minister Volda Lawrence said. She explained that there are many services being offered, often for free, that many Guyanese just do not know of, and as a result of this, educating the public is important. “It is all about bringing health to the people… educating the people,” she stressed, while adding that health is a “two-way street,” where the people themselves need to be conscious and take care of themselves. “In Guyana, there is much self-diagnosis which leads to many diseases that persons are unaware of,” the minister said, noting that it is important that the ministry, in carrying out its mandate, make education and sensitisation  driving forces behind the event. In addition to involving stakeholders in the medical field, Lawrence related that the ministry decided to involve other stakeholders such as banks, the Police Force and the Fire Service in an attempt to show how all stakeholders need to be involved in promoting the good life. The event marks the first of a few medical and educational outreaches that the ministry will be embarking upon. Next month at Parika, the ministry will be offering a large ‘Back-to-School’ medical fair for children and another such fair will be held at Kuru-Kururu on the Soesdyke-Linden Highway. There will also be other mini-health fairs, according to the minister, but these larger fairs are to ensure that Guyanese buy in to the ministry’s promotion of a healthy life.