Doctors Raise Concerns Over Unhealthy Population:
By Paige Ferguson -
Nassau, Bahamas:

As health fears worsen in the country, "early detection" is the message doctors at Imaging CT and Ultrasound Services are driving home to Bahamians.

According to the latest Bahamas Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Prevalence Study and Risk Factor Survey conducted between February and March 2005, more than half of deaths in the country annually are the result of chronic non-communicable diseases.

In an effort to detect serious illnesses, doctors are using computed axial tomography [or CAT] scan technology. The goal is to detect diseases during the early stages in patients and help doctors determine the best method of treatment before the diseases worsen.

Radiologist Dr. Nitin Singh has been practicing in The Bahamas for just over six years and said too often Bahamians are debilitated because they do not take preventative measures to preserve their health.

"When I came here to The Bahamas about six or seven years ago the population was about 300,000. I thought small population, I won’t have much to do, but the amount of diseases I’ve seen over here is phenomenal," he said.

"Like [Minister of Health Dr. Hubert Minnis] pointed out, it’s not so much infectious diseases here as you see in other parts of the world. You get more non-infectious diseases like cancers and heart diseases. And in order to stage them properly, a CAT scan has to be done."

The CAT scan is a diagnostic imaging procedure that uses a combination of x-rays and computer technology to produce cross sectional images [often called slices] of the body. It shows detailed images of any part of the body, including the bones, muscles, fat and organs.

Director of radiology at the centre, Michaella Strachan, explained that the device screens for lung and colon cancers, and heart diseases early enough to prevent a serious ailment. She said sometimes early detection is the difference between life and death.

"It’s amazing how it prolongs the life of the patient and eases the burden and concerns of the family," she said.

"So it’s an amazing modality."

Dr. Singh said the benefit of getting an angiogram done, or any kind of a CAT scan, is so that surgeons can plan an operation better than they would if they were to first open up a patient.

"There would be no hidden surprises because once you scan the patient, everything is clear cut," he said.

"You can [digitally] assess all the abnormalities in the patient like the size of a tumor or which blood vessels are involved. So the surgeon knows exactly what he’s getting into and can treat the patient more efficiently."

The overall health of the Bahamian public has been a growing concern. Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, who attended a CARICOM health summit in Trinidad last weekend, indicated that The Bahamas will consider a ban on smoking in certain public places.

He also indicated that the government may consider lowering the duty on imported chicken and raising the duty on red meat as a means of encouraging Bahamians to eat healthier.

Similarly, the government is also contemplating reducing duty on exercise equipment.

Earlier this week, Dr. Minnis stressed the importance of healthy living, saying The Bahamas has the highest incidence of hypertension in the region.

20 September 2007