Launch of Trinidad and Tobago Heart Initiative

The Freeport Health Centre in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and PAHO launched, the Trinidad and Tobago Heart Initiative on Friday 06th September at the Freeport Health Centre. Patients at this health centre will be the first to benefit from this new initiative that aims to decrease the mortality rate of cardiovascular disease within Trinidad and Tobago. The first speaker Dr. Sandi Arthur spoke on the risk of hypertension while Ms. Jochelle Mohammed Nutritionist shared basic tips on improving a person’s diet, how to properly interpret nutritional facts on food labels and the proper way to use herbs to flavour your pot while cooking. Dr. Sanjiv Parasaram informed guests about the dangers of smoking cigarettes and how this can contribute to cardiovascular disease, he reminded them of the Smoking Cessation Clinic which helps patients quit smoking. Rounding up the program was Dr Ramlogan,  Coordinator for the Trinidad and Tobago Heart Initiative who gave more insight into the programme and the Global Heart Initiatives best practices which include MPOWER for tobacco control, SHAKE for salt reduction and HEART for primary care clinic management of hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidaemia, counselling on lifestyle factors and secondary prevention.

Remember:

H – Healthy Lifestyles

E – Evidence Based Treatment Protocol

A – Access to Essential Medications & Technologies

R – Risk Base Management

T – Team based care and Team sharing

S- System for Monitoring