Collective Prevention Services (CPS) is once again urging men to take prostate cancer seriously and prioritise their health by getting screened. In its latest campaign under the annual Health Observances Calendar, CPS is calling on the male population to “Man up and get a check-up.”
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting men and remains a major public health challenge in the Caribbean, where incidence and mortality rates are among the highest in the world. CPS warns that the disease often grows slowly in its early stages, meaning men may experience no symptoms at all. This makes regular check-ups and conversations with a doctor essential.
That this advice should be taken to heart by the male members of our society is reflected in figures provided to this newspaper by the Cabinet of the Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor VSA. From a total of 95 deaths were registered at St. Maarten Medical Center (SMMC) in 2024, with the majority linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), the figures show that 75% of deaths were due to NCDs, with cardiovascular disease accounting for 42% and malignant neoplasms (cancers) for 20%, making them the two leading causes of death.
Early detection through regular screening via a general blood test can often make a world of difference in your survival chances. Blood tests for sugar, bad cholesterol and prostate specific antigen are good indicators of whether you should make lifestyle adjustments or seek further medical advice.
It is a message that can’t be repeated often enough. Our men are too often scared of the infamous “finger test”. But what they should really worry about is the silent killer potentially growing inside their bodies.
So, man up and check up!
