The focus will be on immunization for the elderly when Dominica joins several countries around the world in observing vaccination week from the 21st to the 28th of April.
This activity in Dominica is in keeping with the theme of World Health Day this year, Healthy Ageing.
World Health Day is officially celebrated on the 7th of April. However, a number of countries including Dominica, are celebrating on different days throughout April, including vaccination week.
The following is an address by Dr. Merle J. Lewis, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern caribbean Countries to mark World Health Day:
This year’s theme for World Health Day focuses on the important topic of Healthy Ageing. Population ageing is an inevitable and inescapable global phenomenon that will change societies at many levels and in complex ways, creating both challenges and opportunities.
On the one hand, we already have older persons, who have made and will continue to make significant contributions to society. We can collectively foster this continuing contribution by helping these elder ambassadors to maintain good health and by breaking down the many barriers that prevent their ongoing participation in society.
On the other hand, towards the end of life, many older persons will face health problems such as limited mobility, fragility, and other physical or mental challenges that will compromise their ability to remain independent. We, as a society, must also address these issues, ensuring that we engage in a manner that would be both affordable and sustainable for our families and society, as a whole. Good health must lie at the core of any successful response to ageing
There are numerous determinants of healthy and active ageing that begin to exert their influence during the early stages of life, for example, how well we were nourished in the womb; what we ate during childhood and adolescence; how physically active we were or whether we lead sedentary lives; and what exposures we may have had to toxic substances.
There are also other determinants that lie beyond the health system. Our response must, therefore, address issues across the entire life course as well as in many social spheres.
The health sector must also, of necessity, adapt to this rapidly changing demographic transition.
Overwhelmingly, the health challenges in older age are the consequence of non-communicable chronic diseases, such as diabetes, cancers, and heart disease, strokes, etc. We need to develop health systems that are age sensitive and which will provide the quality chronic care that is required for these diseases and their risk factors.
We must appreciate that population ageing will challenge society by increasing the demand for acute and primary health care, by straining pension and social security systems and by increasing need for long-term and social care. However, we fully recognize that older persons are a significant social and economic resource, and longer life expectancy offers a greater opportunity for them to contribute to society. Hence, where the balance lies between these challenges and opportunities will be determined by how a society responds.
Population ageing is inextricably linked with socio-economic development, as changes in the dependency ratios impact both the productive workforce and dependent sectors. Typically, as a country develops, more people survive childhood and childbirth, fertility falls, and people start to live longer.
While there are no simple, “magic bullet” solutions to the challenges of population ageing, there are certainly concrete actions that governments and societies can take now.
From the perspectives of the World Health Organization and Pan American Health Organization, we would strongly recommend the following:
1. We must promote good health and healthy behaviors at all ages in order to prevent or delay the development of chronic disease.
2. We must minimize the consequences of chronic diseases through early detection or screening and quality care (primary, long-term and palliative care). Additionally, we must address the needs of those persons, who already have a chronic disease; we must care for those who can no longer look after themselves; and we must ensure that everyone can die with dignity.
3. We must create physical and social environments that are “age-friendly” and foster the health and participation of older persons.
4. We need to reinvent ageing and change social attitudes to encourage the participation of older people. We need to develop new models of ageing that will help us create the future society in which we want to live.
We will not survive as sustainable, cohesive, equitable and secure societies, if we take insufficient action or no action at all, today, to ensure the healthy ageing of our populations.
Those people leave their big countries and compare Dominicans to those who reside overseas in those countries. This is Dominica and not countries which have winter almost nine months of the year and millions of people. Dominica has natural resources and no pollution, etc. Why do they think it is necessary that the aged/senior citizens are in need of vaccination?
There are times they are experimenting on people and what best country to do so but in the islands, thinking that people are gullible and will not give it a thought but to accept their vaccinations.
Good health does commence in the womb, when born and as we grow to adulthood.
I do not think that the aged in Dominica are in need of their vaccination. I can understand if there is an epidemic of some sort.
Teach them to eat nutritiously. It does not have to be big portions but little portions and eat fruits as also citrus fruits, vegetables and drink ample water. The amount is 6 to 8 glasses of water a day; not huge ones. They should stay away from fast foods. Do not drink Pop as Coco Cola and eat tin stuffs – not much of them anyway. I am not insinuating that they should not eat them for a treat on occasion is fine but not too much. As for me I love home-made cooked meals.
Those of you who have computers could assess relevant health information.
Some people lived a ripe old age and they were never vaccinated. I would be suspicious of this vaccination and those who promote it.
Furthermore when I look at all the fruits and vegetables which are sold at the grocery stores, I often wonder why do people contract certain illnesses. I do think that we do not take proper care of ourselves. We could do without vaccines.
People need to focus more on prevention than cure. All these medications and vaccines are slow killers – they are the biggest industry – bringing in more revenue than anything else. Those who make them don’t take them.
@ Waitukubuli
I wholeheartedly endorse this.
Please be advised: this is population control 101! Dominica has one of the highest (if not the highest) centenarian per capita rate world wide!!! Why would you introduce dangerous mercury toxins into these peoples bodies at that age??
The clearly believe that we are living much too long in Dominica. I got vaccinated when I was child not at my own will, and still got measles, red-eyes, chicken pox, you name it…
But refused to vaccinate my child who is 1 year now after viewing this documentary: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6890106663412840646&q=Mercury%2C+Autism+and+the+Global+Vaccine+Agenda&total=4&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0
ma pampo never got imumized,keep off dominicans this is population control.you all in dominica leaving to old so theywant to kill you out,just keep the coconut oil and the bush tea going.
Why vaccinate the elderly? I agree with anonymous. There is a book written by Curtis Cost entitled ” Vaccines Are Dangerous: A warning To The Black Community.” In this book,Dr. William Campbell Douglass who was voted the 1987 “Doctor of the Year” by the National health Federation, charges in his booklet Who Murdered Africa that:”The creation of the AIDS virus by the WHO was not just a diabolical scientific exercise that got out of hand. It was a cold-blooded successful attempt to create a killer virus which was then used in a successful experiment in Africa. We must understand that the Europeans intent is to destroy people of colour, more so people of African descent by any means necessary.
????vacination for the elderly???…!!!! against what in the name of world health blabla. Does this have any intention to kill the elder population faster to keep their retirements?!?!,,, i remember the HNI cold flu virus which was a lie made up by laboratories just to make money. find out more before taking any vacines though.
eh? elderly done old, why do they need immunization?? focus on the young and working class…
You are so mean so say something like that. Hope when you are of the age to be consider elderly, you will refuse all medication to make you well. Your grand and great must have been mean to you so you do not need them around..
@ Bold and Beautiful
This also pertains to you. Those who know better about these vaccines will not take them.
I reside in Toronto. In the past few years vaccine is offered to everyone especially during the winter months. Some people caught colds and bronchitis after taking it. I was personally told that a few people died after taking it. That is enough to scare a person. The authorities will give other reasons for this but who will believe them.
I refuse to take it. I have not had a bad cold. I am doing my utmost to eat properly, take certain Vitamins as Vit. D, C, E. Most importantly we are to get ample sleep and try to be free of stress and worry. This should assist us as we grow older to old age.