Violence is a public health priority…says CMO

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

Dr Patrick Martin

The most recent in these efforts was witnessed late last month when the HOPE Chapel organised a March for Hope, Unity and Peace. The march ended with a rally at the CEMACO Parking Lot in Newtown, where a number of speakers made presentations including Prime Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas, People’s Action Movement (PAM) representative Eugene Hamilton and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Dr. Patrick Martin.

In his address, Dr. Martin spoke extensively on crime, its effects on and cost to the nation, causes and risk factors.

In providing a definition for violence, Dr. Martin quoted the World Health Organisation (WHO) 2002 which described it as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person or against a group or community that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, mal-development or deprivation”.

The CMO views violence as a public health priority, noting injury and illness are the results of violent behaviour which are issues dealt with by providers of health care.  ~~Adz:Right~~

“All persons were born into the health sector. Crime and violence are actions. They are visible expressions of human behavior; behaviour is preceded by thought. Psychology is a component of the field of Mental Health that studies human behaviour. Psychiatry is the discipline of medicine that deals with the disorders of thought, emotion and behaviour. Violent thought and behaviour result in illness, injury and disability, all of which are addressed by health care providers.  Violence constitutes an injury burden.”

In providing statistics on the phenomenon, Dr. Martin said between 2004 and 2006 violence was among the leading five causes of death in the Federation. He noted that between 2003 and 2007 an average of 40 out of 10 000 persons were victims of physical violence, which included murder and wounding.

The causes of crime and violence, Dr. Martin said, are directly linked to, among other things, violence (verbal and physical) in the homes and children being parented by the media.

The CMO provided a list of “countermeasures”, which he believes, if utilised, could do much in addressing the problems of crime and violence.

1. High Quality Health Care - Ante-natal through Early Childhood and Adolescence
2. Early Childhood Education
3. Learning to Read
4. Early Detection and Intervention re Learning Disabilities especially Reading Disability
5. School Bully Elimination
6. Empowering Classroom Culture
7. Teaching Parenting Skills
8. Teaching Awareness re Media Marketing Tactics
9. Foster Care
10. Prevention of Premature Pregnancy
11. Completion of Secondary Education
12. Community Policing
13. Skills Training
14. Employment
15. Activities – Sports, Culture (Constructive Engagement)