Barbadians turned out in large numbers on Saturday for free health screenings and spiritual support, as the Barbados First West Indies Jurisdiction for the Churches of God in Christ hosted its inaugural Community Health Fair at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.
The event was the brainchild of Jurisdictional Prelate Bishop, Arthur Mosley, who explained that the initiative began as a vision and a heartfelt desire to encourage people to take control of their health.
He noted the dangers of living with undiagnosed conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, prostate cancer and breast cancer, and urged Barbadians to be proactive in knowing their health status.
He encouraged people to see early diagnosis as the first step in the battle against illness and a means of avoiding shortened lifespans caused by late detection.
Jurisdictional Supervisor Rozetta Allen credited Dr Roosevelt Allen Jr., a US-based urologist, with spearheading the event’s planning and shaping its diverse offerings.
Various health checks were conducted.
She noted that the fair featured a wide range of health checks, including HIV, PSA, and cholesterol testing, thereby helping attendees build a better picture of their personal health.
The event also incorporated a spiritual element through a dedicated prayer room, which she said reached many participants in meaningful ways. Attendees also received gift bags with items such as pedometers, blood pressure monitors and thermometers.
The fair included educational sessions on security, disability care, and men’s and women’s health. Bishop Mosley welcomed the enthusiastic public participation and said he was particularly pleased by the strong turnout of men, which he described as a significant achievement for the event.
While the church preaches divine healing, Mosley stressed the need for balance. “Divine healing does not mean that you do not use conventional medicine and what conventional medicine has made possible.”
Environmental Health Assistant in the Vector Control Unit, Sean Brathwaite, provided information on rodent control.
The Vector Control Unit of the Ministry of Health was among the day’s exhibitors. Acting Senior Environmental Health Officer, Erskine Springer said the fair offered an opportunity to engage the public and educate them on the unit’s work as part of their broader community outreach efforts.
Looking ahead, jurisdictional supervisor Allen confirmed the fair would return and described the event as an overwhelming success. She said the response from the public had made it clear that there was an ongoing need for this type of initiative, and the foundation was more committed than ever to continuing the work. (STT)
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