Having Dengue was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had, with the first three days being the most painful. I truly believed I was dying, a feeling which was reinforced by the news reports that had played during the start of the outbreak.

I’ve been menstruating since I was 11. This past January, I turned 22. In the 11 years between, my menstrual cycle has never been regular and I have honed in on the art of getting blood stains out of various fabrics.

People are dying and we’re debating about whether we should do something about it. That’s really what is about.

In a time where NCDs are at an all time high, where in the Caribbean & LATAM this is the greatest contribution to premature mortality, accounting for two of three deaths overall and NCD mortality in the Caribbean is highest in the Americas,