Diabetes, obesity and cancer are the main diseases that currently affect women in Mérida, experts agreed, underlining the urgency to establish strategies to reduce this problem.
While in men, the main pathology is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) as well as Asymptomatic Infection by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which directly affect their sexual partners.
The Health Council of the City of Mérida, underlined the importance of establishing a joint project involving municipal officials, academics and representatives of non-governmental organizations and members of the civil society to prevent this situation.
“Preventable diseases can be controlled and its massive occurrence can be properly managed”, said the deputy director of health of the Mérida City Hall, Irving Abelardo Sauri Cruz, during an event presided by the mayor Renán Barrera Concha.
During the meeting, the need to take advantage of the knowledge of universities and research centers as well as the experience of NGOs and the willingness of authorities to control preventable diseases was highlighted, in order to avoid epidemic outbreaks, such as dengue fever and influenza, etc.
Among the three main pathologies that affect women is obesity, since of the 6,714 cases registered so far this year, there are 4,207 females, that is, 62.7 percent, as well as 2,507 men.
Likewise, obesity also affects many children in the Yucatán, who are more likely to suffer from chronic-degenerative diseases at an early age, such as diabetes, asthma, heart attacks, hypertension and embolisms.
During the meeting, it was suggested to analyze the projects used in previous administrations, to apply the most effective ones.
The combat against childhood obesity in the state, has allowed to move Yucatan from the first to the second national place in incidence, and the number of children with nutrition problems is actually decreasing now.
The municipal official explained that breast cancer also continues on the rise in the state, and so far 126 confirmed cases have been detected, with an increase of 40 percent, since in the same perios the previous year, only 90 cases were confirmed.
Similarly, it was stated that one in 10 Meridanos suffer from diabetes, and in confirmed cases, the patient didn’t even know that they had this disease. Sauri Cruz acknowledged that it is a serious public health problem for the State, which affects mostly the city of Mérida.
The Yucatan Times Newsroom with information from SSY
