Rastafarian community benefit from health checks

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By Tahna Weston

[email protected]

More than 170 members of the One Love Rastafarian Community were the beneficiaries of traditional healthcare checks done in collaboration with a local medical practitioner.

The residents living within the Belvadere, Bolans, commune had varying medical screenings done by Dr Philmore Benjamin. These included blood pressure testing, eye checks and those services usually provided by clinics, such as weight checks.

Chairman and Leader of the secluded Rasta village, Brother Kenny, is hailing the initiative a success, with the aim of collaborating with other healthcare professionals to provide proper healthcare screenings for his residents.

He says that discussions with Dr Benjamin have been ongoing since last year, adding that the medical professional is no stranger to the community having treated its former leader on several occasions.

Brother Kenny, in response to a question regarding this unusual venture in seeking conventional medical screenings as opposed to going the natural route in which Rastafarians believe, said the welfare of the people over who he is in charge comes first.

He said that there has long been a tug-of-war as to which form of treatment is better – natural or conventional – but in his opinion both can be used in order to bring out a successful outcome for a patient suffering with any aliment.

Brother Kenny said that many people today are falling sick and passing away and his greatest concern is that the 116 elders and 63 youth – many of whom attend government primary and secondary schools – are healthy and can live long productive lives.

As it now stands, many individuals living in the commune do not have the required finances to seek medical attention when they fall sick, and normally wait until it is too late to say something, denying them of the appropriate medical treatment.

According to him, they would resort to using bush medicine, which often times work, but require back-up treatment.

“It was a very good initiative. Those who wanted to get checked did. We have children with asthma and sometimes we have to call the ambulance for them,” Brother Kenny said.

“We would also ensure that the pregnant sistren receive the best care that is possible, so I am proud and glad to have been able to offer my community this service.”

Brother Kenny said that those children who have to be in schools outside of the community do attend clinics to receive the required medical checks in order to be enrolled in the educational institutions.

He described the One Love Rasta Community — with its motto “One Love” — as loving, and added that he would do anything to make it better and enhance the lives of those who live there.

“I am lending that helping hand. We have plenty sickness going around heavily and I don’t want to wait until it’s too late to act, so I have decided we have to work together with other people.

“There has to be a balanced scale to deal with the elders and the youth in terms of healthcare, and on Saturday most of the youth and elders came out,” he added.

The medical screenings were held last Saturday.

Meanwhile, there are a number of other initiatives which Brother Kenny said he would love to see take place within the commune. These include further medical collaborations and road works.

Brother Kenny said that in the near future he will be reaching out to a dentist to have checks done, in particular on the youth.

He noted that he is still contemplating which would be the best dentist to write to, requesting this collaboration.

The chairman is hoping that the individual would be able to conduct the checks on the compound since it is big enough and has an area from which the dentist would be able to work.

Additionally, Brother Kenny is hoping that some road works could be done within the area as the country is now in the annual hurricane season.

He is hoping that the government along with others would be able to assist in this venture.

Currently, there is a paved road which leads to the farm, however, Brother Kenny said he would love to see roads being constructed which lead to the houses and the tabernacle with the expected bad weather during this time of the year.

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