Houston, TX – In citing the need for an aggressive focus on preventive health care and education among minorities, Congressman Al Green, along with a number of community organizations sponsored his First Annual “Green Light to Healthy Living” fair on Saturday, May 21, 2005 on the West Loop campus of Houston Community College.
Green, who represents the 9th Congressional District held this district-wide event in conjunction with Community Health Choice, the Harris County Hospital District, the NAACP, LULAC, the Houston Area Urban League as well as Houston Community College which provided free blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol, eye and dental screenings as well as immunizations for children and seniors who otherwise would not have access to these vital services. According to Congressman Green, “I believe we have a moral obligation to ensure that our residents have access to the best possible medical care. We must make it our duty to provide all Houstonians with the proper tools needed to make informed decisions about their care and work diligently to promote healthy lifestyles.”
Over four hundred people participated and Congressman Green encouraged all Houstonians to work towards healthier living and building stronger communities. Participants enjoyed the benefit of over forty informational booths that addressed an array of health care issues including AIDS/HIV prevention, liver disease and breast cancer.
The Harris County Hospital District assisted parents in completing WIC, CHIP and Medicaid applications while their children designed macaroni necklaces, face painted and competed for prizes such as bicycles.
The health fair addressed a number of health-related issues that disproportionately affect minority and lower-income communities. For example, African Americans are more likely to be affected by high blood pressure, hypertension, and cancer than any other racial or ethnic group. Dr. Joseph Swafford, a cardiologist at M.D. Anderson Cancer Hospital, advised participants to not take their health for granted and emphasized the importance of regular exercise. Additionally, the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes is at least 2-4 times higher among black, Hispanic, Native American, and Asian Pacific Islander women than among white women. The good news is that the incidence of many of theses diseases can be greatly diminished by good health habits such as avoiding tobacco use, increasing physical activity, achieving optimal weight, and improving nutrition. Congressman Green said, “This fair educated Houstonians about the benefits of these good health habits and provided residents with vital information on preventive measures to combat illnesses and diseases that disproportionately impact our communities.”
The “Green Light to Healthy Living” fair is a part of Congressman Green’s larger legislative effort towards increasing health awareness and access to preventive care. He has cosponsored initiatives that would allow the federal government to negotiate fair prices for Medicare prescription drugs, to expand Medicaid and CHIP programs to provide funding to cover working parents and their children, and to allow people between ages 55 and 64 to purchase Medicare and receive a 75% refundable tax credit. Additionally, Congressman Green joined his colleagues in sending a letter to the House Appropriations Committee to increase National Institute of Health (NIH) funding for Heart Disease and Stroke research. Congressman Green said, “I believe the lack of health care is one of the greatest challenges facing our nation. More than 5 million Texans have no health insurance at all, thousands more are a pink slip away from losing coverage, and half of our overall health care costs are related to preventable illnesses.” Green continued, “We must do more to ensure the health of our nation. Health care should not be a privilege for a few but should be available to all.”