In an effort to combat one of the island’s most pressing non-communicable diseases, that is “Hypertension,” Health Region 3 which includes the communities of La Ressource, Richfond, and Dennery hosted a Regional Hypertension Workshop at the Grande Riviere Resource Centre. The workshop held under the theme “Measure Your Blood Pressure Accurately: Promoting a Longer and Healthier Life,” is part of a larger initiative to educate and empower citizens on the importance of managing their blood pressure effectively. This community-based intervention is one of many under the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Elderly Affairs’ ongoing drive to improve health outcomes at the grassroots level.
Public Health Nursing Supervisor for Region Three, Enda Antoine explained how this initiative will help to empower clients and strengthen hypertension care at the community level. “This initiative is geared at empowering with Hypertension to actively manage their conditions, improve their health outcomes and enhance their quality of life. Those goals will be accomplished by equipping clients with knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions about their care. Region 3 which includes Richfond, La Ressource and Dennery has been identified as having the highest cases of Diabetes and Hypertension in Saint Lucia. As a team, we understand the importance of helping our clients manage these conditions at home. These goals are accomplished through the assistance of the Taiwan Technical Mission.”
Through interactive presentations and practical demonstrations participants were introduced to essential topics such as understanding hypertension, accurate blood pressure measurement and lifestyle changes. District Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health Dr. Aaron Adjodha was present and played a major role in educating the residents on the management of blood pressure. Here is one of the points Dr. Adjodha made during his presentation. “When we speak about Hypertension, we talking about the disease. Your pressure goes up and is not going down the way it is supposed to, so the doctor has to provide medication. We have to understand you have the heart and blood vessels.”
Family Nurse Practitioner Yasmina Deterville highlighted the importance of patient education and self-awareness in achieving better health outcomes. “This is a very important tool in managing your blood pressure. It is good that you have medication as well which is very important as well. But, this workshop will empower you, to make you feel good about yourself. You can say, I checked my pressure this morning and yesterday and when you write it at the back of your book, you can say “Wow, look at where I was before and look at me now.”
The initiative also places emphasis on continued community support, with the involvement of trained community health aides playing a critical role in sustaining momentum. “Our committed Community Health Aides will be continuing their regular health visits to ensure that the Self- Management initiative is successful and that clients are continuously recording their values using a guide to a healthy lifestyle. We are confident that through our collaborative efforts, we will have a healthier region in the years to come.”
Health officials in Health Region 3 also reported a noticeable shift in how clients view their health since the roll-out of the Performance Based Financing (PBF) Pilot Project. The project encourages a results-driven approach to chronic disease management, and it is yielding significant behavioral changes.
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