MOH should lead public-ed campaign
Published:Thursday | September 16, 2010 | 12:00 AM
The Editor, Sir:
With regard to the article 'Doctors urged to step up fight against chronic non-communicable diseases' published in your September 15th edition, I noticed that the chief medical officer, Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester, was encouraging doctors to do more in terms of giving guidance and ensuring management of the elderly. The call also extended to ensuring adherence to treatment.
I see what Dr Campbell-Forrester is striving to achieve but I think the focus should be more on the ministry she represents. The Ministry of Health has a health promotion unit. I would believe that health psychologists, health educators and promoters would be part of such. This unit should be leading the education and promotion on all diseases inclusive of chronic non-communicable ones. It should be a leader in research in order to implement new strategies where adherence to treatment and further management of patients by themselves or caregivers are concerned.
Support
In other words, the ministry, through this unit, should be liaising with groups such as the Alzheimer's Association, autism, diabetes, aged and disabled groups, mental-health groups, HIV/AIDS, etc. The ministry should be giving financial and training support where needed.
Relying on physicians to see to the adherence of treatment is hardly practicable, no matter the health setting. Hence physicians should be able to refer to the various support groups and should work closely with them.
I am, etc.,
VAL MAC