Page 19 - 10th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival Magazine

Charles Town Maroon International Conference Magazine June 2018

Foot Care provides the avenue and tools to effectively I have recommended that the Ministry of Health look
analyse and report on any issues before real damage into foot problems and widespread amputations, as a
occurs. There are basic tests - the 10gm monofilament complication of Diabetes, and not accept it as a normal
test, pulse palpation, ankle brachial index and vascular everyday occurrence as it seems to be now. There is
Doppler - can be used in a Practitioner’s office to care no program in the Government Health Services that
for the feet. deals with this issue except in the office of the
Surgeon. There is No National Program on Foot
The importance of whole-life foot care Health, Chiropody and Podiatry isn’t taught here in
Foot care however should start as early as birth where, Jamaica. This is a very serious issue that needs to be
paying close attention to your little one’s feet from addressed.
proper grooming to gait will ensure a solid foundation
as your youngster grows. The young feet today are the
older feet of tomorrow.

Things to look at, the shape of the foot, how they stand Miss Dahlia Brown is a trained Foot Care
Assistant working with World Walk
and walk, walking abnormalities that may occur, and
Foundation Jamaica Chapter. She is the
the need for correct shoe fitting during the devel- most senior Foot Care Assistant and is
opment of the feet. The feet take approximately 18 yrs. currently in charge of all the Foot Care
persons in Jamaica. She assist in their
to fully develop to the adult foot [At birth the foot
training and have been to other Caribbean
contains 22 partially developed bones, by school age countries to conduct training. She attends
this number increases to 45. Over the next 13 to 14 and participates in workshops and seminars
all over the world. In 2013 Miss Brown was selected by World
years many of these bones will fuse to form the 26
Diabetes Federation to do advanced foot health studies at the
bones that make up the mature foot]. ‘Theptarin Centre of Excellence’ in Bangkok Thailand.

If education on Foot Care was available for new
mothers many problems in later life would be averted.

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