VIVAS launches 'National Health Screening Month'

The inaugural National Health Screening Month was launched in Dublin today by VIVAS Health.

The campaign is designed to raise awareness of the importance of regular health screening in adults and to educate people about how simple it can be to undertake a comprehensive health screen or health-check.

Early detection is critical to the diagnosis and treatment of many illnesses with advances in modern medicine now ensuring that early detection is possible for many devastating illnesses such as cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes

Despite this fact, research conducted by Red C shows that only one in four people with private health insurance have ever had a full health screen, with people under the age of 55 years of age even less likely to have had a screen for illness or disease.

National Health Screening Month is being launched to coincide with the introduction of a range of health screening cover that is now available to VIVAS Health.

To raise awareness of the availability of health screening, VIVAS Health is running a national health screening challenge – encouraging people from all over the country to log-on to take a free health check at www.VIVASHealth.ie.

The company will also be giving away free health screens during the month - everyone that completes the online health check will be eligible to win one of these screens.

“Health screening saves lives,” said Oliver Tattan, CEO VIVAS Health.

“Take heart disease for example: Ireland is top of the table for pre-mature mortality from diseases of the vascular system of the EU 15. However only 46% of Irish people have their blood pressure measured each year, the EU average is 59%.

“Irish adults must take control of their health by ensuring that they have an annual health screen and we are calling on everyone to take the first step by doing the free on-line health check during this month.”