iseases, such as heart attacks, strokes, and cancer. The government operates a 120 bed home for the aged that mainly provides general care. There are no specialized health services for the elderly, although they are exempt from user fees. The elderly are also the main beneficiaries of the routine diabetic clinics that are conducted at all health centers.Infectious disease rates have decreased over the past years. The most notable are Dengue fever and leptospirosis. New cases of tuberculosis range from 7 to 13 new cases per year. Its incidence has been highest among those aged 40-54. An average of two deaths per year are attributed to tuberculosis. Non-communicable diseases that are significant factors in health are diabetes, hypertension, and malignant tumors. Cancer is the leading cause of death in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Government-run oral health services are directed towards providing quality and affordable oral health care to the population, particularly school-age children. The introduction of fluoride treatment at the primary-school level has been achieved. Currently, all children under 16 years of age attending dental clinics are treated with topical fluoride gel. There is no fluoridation of the communal water supply system.On the island of Saint Vincent, 47.6% of all households have water from the communal supply system piped into their premises (yard and house), and an additional 29.4% receive their water from a public standpipe. This means that more than 77% of all households benefit from a reliable potable water supply. However, 10.8% of all households still receive their water supply form suspect sources such as springs, rivers and streams.The pit latrine remains the most prevalent means of sewage disposal among the households (62.3%), followed by use of a septic tank (30.1%). The number of households without any approved form of sewage disposal has decreased to below 3.7%. GOVERNMENTSaint Vincent...
