Great Bay:--- The Ministry of Public Health Social Development & Labor, section Collective Preventive Services (CPS) soon will be embarking on their Get Checked program with the focus being smoke free public spaces as a means of creating healthy environments and 100% smoke free schools by 2014.
To assist with the framework, Natasha de Herrera, a consultant on Tobacco and Alcohol control with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) office of Venezuela was on the island to offer technical assistance. Natasha has been working with PAHO for 16 years in the area of tobacco control on all aspects, such as policy, implementation and research all in the context of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in the region. Natasha has worked in the Latin American and Andes countries, and will now be assisting St. Maarten.
"I will be providing technical support on tobacco cessation, which is important for the prevention of tobacco related diseases, and in addition it prevents the use of other drugs/addictive behavior," said Natasha de Herrera.
"I will like to thank PAHO and Natasha de Herrera for assisting us. However, we must continue to focus on prevention and that can only start with each person taking full responsibility for their actions. It is extremely important that we teach this to our children/students because this is where the real prevention and change begins," said Minister of Public Health Social Development & Labor, Cornelius De Weever.
Natasha further stated that in Venezuela they have been able to bring down the prevalence rate of tobacco use with 100% smoke free indoor areas, the reduction and consumption of tobacco, and limit as much as possible advertising and promotions by tobacco companies.
During her visit, she was also able to share a number of documents during her meeting with the campaign team, which consists of Virginia Asin, Daphne Illis, Lorraine Scot, Fenna Arnell and Roddy Heyliger. Some of the documents are: "The Health Consequences of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke," "Report of the US Surgeon General," Tobacco-free cities for smoke-free air: A case study in Mecca and Medina," and a model ordinance amongst others.
"I would like to congratulate the team at CPS for this very important initiative they are taking, as using the schools is a great way to impact the community, which can give good measurable results, and can be used as a best practice in other countries," said Natasha.
Natasha further stated that with the assistance of Dr. Jorge Jenkins PAHO representative in Venezuela for the Dutch Caribbean, they will make an extra effort to lend their support on this very important campaign.