A 10 minute visit to a caravan could save your life, according to Rotary.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Both local branches of the club have combined forces to bring the Men’s Health Education Rural Van (MHERV) to town.
A purpose-built caravan with a dedicated registered nurse and two consulting rooms, MHERV will be in Inverell next week. Part of a tour of 56 centres in NSW, men are invited to visit the van for a few simple medical tests to check their general health.
The van will be parked at 164 Otho Street, near Centrelink, next Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25-26.
“There’s no reason not to pop in,” Rotarian Neil Eigeland said. He encouraged local men to take advantage of the free service, and urged them to stop putting off their health.
“Many men say ‘it’ll be right’ and ‘I’ll be right’, and sometimes they’re not,” Mr Eigeland said. He said there was nothing to lose for those in perfect health, but that many would benefit greatly from a registered nurse specialising in men’s health.
The tests are expected to take just 10 minutes to administer, and include a blood pressure test to make sure the heart isn’t too stressed, body mass (height, weight and girth), a pin-prick on the finger to check blood sugar levels in case of type two diabetes, and another pin-prick to check cholesterol levels.
Although these are basic tests, Mr Eigeland noted they were important indicators of many larger health issues.
Between August and December 2017, 934 men were tested in the Rotary van. Of those, 256 people were told to see their GP for a routine examination, 697 were told they should see their GP as soon as possible for treatment, and 16 were at serious risk, and told to seek medical attention immediately.