The new year and beyond will present the health care community with new problems, as well as many opportunities to greatly enhance the health and well-being of Barbadians.
Much has been accomplished in past 100 years with the elimination of diseases such as smallpox and polio. From now on we have the opportunity to eliminate many more of the dreaded diseases of mankind such as tuberculosis; develop new cures for many types of cancer; and enhance the quality of life through the use of technologically advanced prostheses. We must be prepared for new diseases, pressures of the modern age and the care of a steadily ageing population.
Our investment in the health of the nation takes many forms - the development of skilled human resources; research; improved systems of information and communication; updated diagnostic equipment; enhanced surgical equipment and systems to improve and enhance our environment. This investment must continue to support the national goals of economic development, improvement of the quality of life and to reduce the level of human suffering occasioned by disease and traumatic injury.
With the knowledge available to us today we can make the greatest impact on the major threats to our health through a concerted commitment to engage in healthy lifestyle practices. The prevalence of diabetes and hypertension in our society cries out for dietary changes and a regime of daily exercise.The HIV plague demands that we follow safe sex practices and it is our goal to reverse the growing infection rate in our society and to reduce the infection rate by half within five years.
At the same time we have the capacity to eliminate dengue fever and significantly reduce the levels of leptospirosis with a concerted attack upon the carriers, the Aedes Aegypti mosquito and the population of rats and mice. This is a task in which everyone must be involved and the Ministry of Health will work with communities to develop aggressive, well coordinated campaigns for vector control.
Our sewerage and solid waste management systems will continue to be developed and expanded to not only protect both the environment of our land resources and the inshore waters, but also to more intelligently use our waste in recycling. With the increasing population density of some inland areas dedicated micro sewerage systems will have to be developed to maintain the quality of the water in the underground aquifer.
Finally, we must recognize that swift change, brought about by the technological revolution, creates pressures within our society that may result in an increased level of mental illness. We need to rebuild and restructure our institutions that provide for psychiatric care and to better understand the nature and economic burden of mental illness in our society.
* Senator Phillip Goddard is the Minister of Health.