Dear Ms. Thompson,
WHAT PURPOSE does the Ministry of Health serve if not to protect the population's health care? Clearly, it's a system-wide practice of no accountability. Maybe, I should not have been surprised. The class system that England had planted/left in Jamaica has miserably evolved away from the best interest of the underprivileged.
I don't know about the rest of the United States, but in New York, medical doctors in general stay on top of every check and balance, because one slip with a patient can bring a lawsuit that could wipe them out of business/practice for good. A few years ago, I made an inquiry about credentials of a dentist I visited and, upon my next visit, he had the credentials well posted in his office. In talking further to the dentist, he had interpreted my inquiry not as a mistrust of his practice, but as an opportunity to display his credentials.
- L. Francis
Cervical cancer
Dear Ms. Thompson,
I WOULD really like to see many articles written about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), the virus that is causing cervical cancer in women. Women as young as age 27 years are dying as a result of this illness. Information about this virus is rather frightening. What I have learnt is that at present there is no test to show when the male is infected. There are many, many different types of HPV and not all types will cause cervical cancer, but some types are indeed very aggressive and will cause this illness to develop in a short period of time. I would really like to see many articles about this illness in order to help women to be aware of this condition.
- Concerned
Secrets of green tea
Dear Ms. Campbell-Grizzle,
GOOD ARTICLE on green tea! Research on green tea seems never-ending and the more universities, scientists and health foundations conduct research on it, the more health secrets are discovered. Sometimes I wish other herbs were given 'equal opportunity'.
The noted side effect of green tea regarding the drop in folic acid is the first I have seen and is particularly noteworthy. Nonetheless, one of the other health secrets about green tea is the powerful effect it has on the brain. It enhances production of dopamine to the brain, and medical researchers have found that dopamine deficiency within the brain is a major cause of Parkinson's disease.
On another note, green tea on the market is widespread, and it stands to reason that quality green tea is not so easy to identify, given the deceptively convincing information that manufacturers place on packaging. Not all green teas are created equal! The greenest of green teas often come with a premium price tag, partly because it's deemed as authentic.
- Green tea drinker
Send questions and comments to our health specialists at Your Health, c/o The Gleaner, 7 North Street, Kingston; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com. Unless otherwise indicated, letters and the specialists' responses are usually published.
