Mexican Consulate of San Bernardino Spreads Awareness on Importance of Health

Hundreds of San Bernardino County citizens participated in the 13th Annual Binational Health Fair on Oct. 6 at the Consulado de México (Mexican Consulate) of San Bernardino/Riverside Counties. Over 60 organizations offered free information on the services offered to the public, with an additional 20 organizations supporting the fair this year, compared to last. The Mexican Consulate of San Bernardino/Riverside Counties, in affiliation with Loma Linda University, the County Department of Public Health, and other local state, county, city and community health organizations hosted the event which featured over 50 vendor booths offering free health screenings, including services offered in the areas of dental, vision, and medical screening services, in addition to approximately 15 physicians on site who offered consultation in the areas of orthopedics, physical therapy, pediatric care, women’s health and family health, to name a few, shared Edith Lara, a Health Fair volunteer and the coordinator of the event’s medical section. Physical activities also took place at the main stage to emphasize the importance exercise in a healthy lifestyle. The Binational Health Week is one of the largest mobilization efforts of Federal, State and other government agencies, and also community and faith-based organizations, according to a release issued by the Consulate. The event started 13 years ago with the goal of improving the wellbeing of the general population, encompassing a week-long series of health promotion through workshops and medical screenings. Bronica Martindale is a representative for the San Bernardino County Department of Public Health in the Nutrition program. Martindale is responsible for interacting with the community and educating them on the importance of eating additional fruits and vegetables, along with having more physical activity. Her goal, she shared, is to get people to see physical activity as a family activity that can be fun while at the same time helping reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Martindale stated, “Statistics has shown that physical activity helps our bodies stay healthy, and coupled with eating more fruits and vegetables and doing physical activity it helps reduce the risk of diseases that are preventable and are affecting Latino and African-American families.” She added that the goal is for families to achieve overall mind, body and soul healing and wellness, and to teach a healthy way of life. In addition to medical screenings, free legal assistance, information and referrals were also available on immigration topics, family services, civil and labor rights, and accident prevention in the workplace. The Consulate of San Bernardino hopes that the citizens of San Bernardino of all nationalities take control of their overall wellbeing in order to live a long, strong, and healthy life. They offer a health window that is open every day to refer individuals and their families to the adequate resources to tend to their health needs.