By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THE MINISTRY of Health (MoH) is to focus on the impact of motor vehicle accidents and violent incidents on the nation's health care system, as part of its health promotion activities.
Grace Allen-Young, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, said the injuries arising from these incidents have a significant impact on the health care budget as well as on average life expectancy.
"Last year about $1 billion was spent on treating injuries and we are talking about motor vehicles accidents and injuries relating to violence," said Mrs. Allen-Young. "This high level of intolerance among us has an impact not only on health in terms of life expectancy but (also) in terms of the health care plan."
The Permanent Secretary, who was the guest speaker at the opening ceremony for the Cornwall Regional Hospital Expo, underscored the need for tolerance and empathy in the society to reduce the number of violent incidents. She also pointed to a shift in the major causes of death from communicable to non-communicable diseases, and stressed the need for health promotion and lifestyle changes.
INCREASED PATIENT LOAD
"The increased patient load and the cost associated with lifestyle-related chronic diseases have a significant impact on the healthcare dollar. The challenge to us therefore in the Ministry of Health is to promote wellness and to emphasise prevention, so we can spend less on curative measures and provide a greater quality of life in terms of wellness and health promotion," Mrs. Allen-Young emphasised.
Dr. Sheila Campbell-Forrester, Head of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), also expressed concern about the number of injuries related to motor vehicle accidents being treated at the Cornwall Regional Hospital (CRH), and added that the hospital considers it a responsibility to work with the public to reduce the number of accidents on the roads.
"We are indeed concerned about the increase in the number of road accidents and we anticipate that it's going to be more with greater improvements on our roads. Our goal is to also help to reduce the incidence of road traffic accidents to promote safe and defensive driving to prevent road rage," said Dr. Campbell-Forrester.
The WRHA head also underscored the importance of practising healthy lifestyles and for behaviour changes to remove the burden of disease and reduce the cost to the health sector. Last year, approximately 69,700 persons were treated at the casualty department of the hospital.
The Expo is part of the hospital's 30th anniversary celebrations.
