Former Medical Association of Jamaica president, Dr Alverston Bailey, in a riveting presentation, spoke on gender health and wellness, urging the auxiliaries to, among other things, be mindful of their sexual health.

HIV/AIDS

Dr Bailey touched on issues such as HIV/AIDS which he said now affects 29 percent of women, 15 to 49 years; as well as breast cancer and cancer of the cervix that have been impacting on the health of Jamaican women.

On obesity, Dr Bailey said that the disease could trigger other lifestyle illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes and urged the dental auxiliaries to eat healthy foods and exercise regularly. He noted that, for the men, obesity is particularly bad as it causes the penis size to shrink, and certain enzymes found in fat tend to convert the male hormone testosterone to oestrogen thus giving the men effeminate qualities.

Bad marriages

The doctor also noted that bad marriages tend to have worse impact on women than on men as women tend to take life more seriously than their male counterparts. Marital problems, he said, can result in depression in women which in turn triggers a range of health issues.

The conference honoured two outstanding members of the Dental Auxiliaries for their length of service which spanned over thirty years. Ms. Perlene Swaby of the Western region and Norma Subadan-Bell who is now retired, were awarded.

Both ladies graciously accepted their crystal trophies and reminded their colleagues of the importance of providing excellent service.