Heart Foundation carrying out heart screenings across the island

As Jamaica commemorates February as Heart Month, health officials are ramping up heart screenings across the island.

One health care provider, the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ) has committed to carry out heart screenings across the island, as part of its campaign to save lives. The screenings are part of activities in observance of Heart Month in February under the theme: ‘Do Your Part, Check Your Heart’.

Heart Month is observed annually during February to promote cardiovascular health and to raise awareness about heart disease. Heart screenings are encouraged by the HFJ, as imperative in the prevention, early detection and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and pre-existing conditions that may lead to CVD.

HFJ heart screening visits

This Thursday (February 9), the HFJ team will journey to Lawrence Tavern, Stony Hill and Maxfield Park Health centres for heart screening. On February 23, screening will be done at the Waterford Health Centre, travelling to the Christian Pen Health Centre the following day and then onto the Guys Hill Health Centre on February 28 for heart screenings.

Next Saturday (February 11), the team will be at HiLo Food Stores in Cross Roads and Barbican, as well as Sovereign Centre Liguanea and the Portmore Pines Plaza. On February 14, there will be special activities at the HFJ’s Beechwood Avenue offices with a live, outside broadcast and members of the public are invited to come out on this day of love to take care of their heart and get screened.

The HFJ will continue to offer special off-site screening services on February 25 at Tropical Plaza on Constant Spring Road. A Family and Friends Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Day will take place on March 11 at the HFJ’s Beechwood Avenue headquarters.

DR KNOX HAGLEY MEMORIAL LECTURE SET FOR FEB 28

Members of the public are being encouraged to register at the HFJ to participate and take advantage of the special J$2,000 rate for training in CPR. The HFJ will also provide screening services at several public health facilities.

A major activity of the month is the 2023 Annual Medical Symposium and the Dr Knox Hagley Memorial Lecture, which will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 28 under the theme: ‘Stress, Heart Disease, and Health’. The lecture will be delivered by the President of the American Heart Association and Director of the Center for the Study of Adversity and Cardiovascular Disease, Dr Michelle Albert.

Participants are encouraged to register online for the symposium at the HFJ website.