Basseterre , St. Kitts, May 04, 2006: Director of the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) Dr. Merita Roses Periago took the opportunity to address chronic health issues and HIV/AIDS while she was here in the Federation.
Dr. Roses was in the Federation attending the Council for Human and Social Development and the 51st Caribbean Health Research Council and Scientific Meetings.
During a St. Kitts and Nevis Information Service interview, Dr. Roses said that lifestyle changes have brought about an increase in chronic health issues such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension. She explained that traditional eating habits have changed and lifestyles are more sedentary in the sense that there is less physical activity. She stressed that once ago persons walked to work and school or even to shop. She said that this is why PAHO's Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute saw it fitting to develop guidelines for a healthy diet.
Pertaining to HIV/AIDS, Dr. Roses said lifestyles also promote the contraction of the virus. She elaborated that in order to reduce the spread of the disease, there has to be a link between information and behaviour change.
She said strategies have to be developed that target the population as a whole but also the young and at risk groups such as sex workers, men having sex with men and intravenous drug users. The Director of PAHO said that while the level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS is high when measured by surveys and personal focus groups when it comes to change in behaviour such as condom use, reducing the number of sex partners and delaying the first sexual encounter, this is not being done.
