Minister of State in the Ministry of Health with Special Responsibility for Gender Affairs, Dr. Cassandra Williams, is encouraging men in Dominica to take “ownership” of their health. Her remarks came following the observance of International Men’s Day on Tuesday under the theme: “Men’s Health Champions”.
“Improving the health and well-being of men and that of women are complementary objectives that are best addressed within the gender equality framework,” she said. “Engaging men and facilitating their participation in healthcare, prevention of violence against women, and sharing responsibility for reproductive health are key interventions needed to achieve global goals on gender equality and to accelerate progress in achieving health goals.”
According to her, the Ministry of Health, Wellness and Social Services through the gender bureau joins the international community, “in sounding the call for men to take ownership and champion the cause for good and sustainable health practices that will help protect them and their families.”
“Men’s health is a topic which too often is overlooked or underestimated,” Dr. Williams stated.
She continued, “It is essential to recognize that taking charge of one’s health is not just a personal responsibility, but also a crucial component of being a champion for those around us.”
Dr. Williams is of the view that when men prioritize their health they set an example for their families, friends, and communities, encouraging those they love to do the same.
Furthemore, she said many men in Dominica are reluctant to seek the necessary, “easily accessible” healthcare services to combat Chronic Non-communicable Diseases (CNCDs) and other life-threatening illnesses.
“Why should our men die from illnesses that can be averted if diagnosed early by a simple doctor’s visit?” she asked.
She added, “How will the young boys understand the importance of health screening and health habits if their role models do not? Why are men dying younger than women in every country?”
Dr. Williams noted that according to the World Health Organization (WHO), of all male deaths 86 percent can be attributed to Non-Communicable Diseases and injuries.
International Men’s Day was conceived and coordinated in Trinidad and Tobago on November 19, 1999, by Dr. Jerome Teelucksingh from The University of the West Indies. His rationale for creating International Men’s Day stated, “I realized there was no day for men…some have said that there is Father’s Day, but what about young boys, teenagers, and men who are not fathers?”
He felt that his own father had been an example of an excellent role model and so he chose November 19 partly because this was his father’s birthday, and also because it was the date on which a local sporting team in his country created a level of unity which transcended gender, religious and ethnic divisions.
International Men’s Day focuses on improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, producing responsible males, and highlighting positive male role models. It also looks at addressing issues such as parenting, positive male role models, families, and healthy life choices for men. There is an invitation for spiritual reflection and gratitude on that day.
Yes, the nephew in question his name was Loftus Collie Lewis, if one go on Emo News, they can see his funeral. This is a guy who would kill for Roosevelt Skerrit. A man was talking with him one night, the wrong word came out his mouth about Roosevelt Skerrit; my dead nephew drew a knife out of his pocket, and told the old man, if he say one word about Roosevelt, he will chop the man belly open. Anyway, in his last days suffering, the same old man he threatened to cut his belly open, is the one who called me and told me your nephew is sick and badly need help; I sent some money to a lady who took him to the hospital, bought even linings to put on the bed he lay on in government hospital. I also had to pay for his medications; a Skerrit supporter, and this damn woman sitting there looking stupid talking crap, the medical establishment is suppose to treat people when they are ill, in Dominica my nephew died because he could not afford medical attention Shut to F… up Casandra!
All people like that woman and gretta know how to do is pull a wig on their dry heads.
Such people do have what I believe to be a very poor sense of self-value, hence, they believe that the Wig changes their characteristics, or make them better. To better state it: they are full of low self-esteem with a range of many factors, such as sense of identity, self-confidence, feeling of belonging. They want to belong to a certain group; look like other ethnic people!
Where it pertains to long hair and short hair it’s all about genetics.
People with long hair are born with the “recessive gene;” whereas people with short hair are born with a dominant gene!
There are white people, with short hair, their hair can’t grow long, because they too are born with the dominant gene!
These stupid women clad in wigs would look so much better if only they knew how to be natural, and stop been artificial!
They are in a realm of masquerade you see, and that’s it.
Men are disenfranchised. All this “gender equality” has alienated men and young boys because everything is for woman. All you cannot even give man their proper props and celebrate int’l mens day properly, but when is woman everybody have to know. Man in Dominica will continue to do what he can, however he can with the resources available.
As soon as they open their mouth, some sort of garbage jumps out; they celebrate manicou, rabbit, bullfrog, and anansi, cockroach day in Dominica, they celebrate more days than heard of in the rest of the world.
How can this wig-head woman sit there talking rubbish about men should take charge of their health? Nobody, man or woman, boy or girl goes to bed wishing they wake up in the morning feeling sick, or sick!
It does not matter how careful one may be, people getting ill is inevitable, this quack wanna be doctor don’t know by the time one reaches the age of forty (40) they are most vulnerable to all kinds of illness.
At that age, and younger in DA: they get ill most don’t survive, because in Dominica, people die for lack of proper medical attention. I can write a story about a nephew of mine who died recently, when he was told to go to the doctor, he asks “with what?” the man was penniless, I sent him money, but it was too late to help him!
Casandra shut you damn mouth…