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Contact:
Rose Marie Harris
Friday, April 11, 2003 - The Ministry of Health is working towards
enhancing its primary health care component as it relates to placing great
prominence on children. So says Health Minister, Honourable Damian Greaves.
Recently, the Ministry launched its pare-natal system with its main function of
capturing data on children and monitoring the information which would assist
health officials to make more appropriate intervention.
“And what about our nutritional services? About 12% of children born annually
are classified as low birth weight. This statistic is extremely important as I
have already illustrated the link between a child health status at birth and a
child’s future. With 12% of babies being of low birth weight status, you may
well understand levels of performance at primary schools. The issue with low
birth weight relates quite significantly with the mother’s nutritional and
health status. Thus through our nutritional counselling programme for pregnant
women and mothers we are making interventions that will redound to the benefit
of children and the future of this nation,” said Greaves.
Minister Greaves said that his department is also presently focussing on
HIV/AIDS and its impact on unborn babies and young children. He believes that
HIV/AIDS is a major developmental problem capable of affecting human resource
capability. Given the prevalence of the epidemic, he says, government along with
the general public can waste no time in finding the best means to deal with the
issue.
Greaves also noted “The incidence among females has increased relative to males.
In fact 71% of the females affected with the disease are of child bearing age
with 25 to 29 age group most susceptible. Throughout our introduction of
anti-retroviral drugs and our mother to child transmission programme we are
mitigating the problem.”
Minister Greaves believes that there is much more that can be done in the area
of primary health care as it relates to children and has reassured the nation
that in the months ahead his ministry will bridge the gap which now exists
within Saint Lucia’s health system.
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