Hundreds turn out to Wellness Day Walk

Hundreds turn out to Wellness Day Walk

Georgetown, GINA, September 8, 2012

Today the Caribbean celebrated Caribbean Wellness Day which brings to the fore the importance of living healthy lifestyles and here in Guyana, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat hosted a fitness walk which commenced at the Secretariat?s Liliendaal Office and ended at the National Park.

Minister of Health Dr Bheri Ramsaran leads the Caribbean Wellness Day Walk

Caribbean Wellness Day 2012 was celebrated under the theme ?Love that Body ? Building the Foundation for Healthy Lifestyles?.?

The walk was well attended by Staff of the Health Ministry, CARICOM, Qualfon, New GPC, Banks DIH Limited, the American Embassy in Guyana, the World Health Organisation/Pan American Health Organisation (WHO/PAHO), Guyana Prison Services, Rome Athletics Club, Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre and the Cuban Brigade. Following the walk, the participants were taken through a round of aerobic exercises.

Minister of Health, Dr. Bheri Ramsaran stressed that focus is being placed on the ?wellness? of children and youths since once they are encouraged at an early age to practice healthy lifestyles, then it will be inculcated and become useful later in their lives.

United States Ambassador Brent Hardt (right) with staff of the US Embassy heading to the National Park

He added that the turn out to the walk indicates that people are getting the message about living a healthy lifestyle, and urged the participants to be ambassadors of healthy living and to spread the message.

Senior Advisor on Sustainable Development and Environmental Health, PAHO/WHO, Adrianaus?Vlugman emphasised that Wellness Day highlights what can be done to lengthen people?s lifespan by combating the impact of Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) which affect people?s lives and the economy.

Participants going through aerobic paces at the National Park Tarmac

Deputy Secretary General of CARICOM, Ambassador Lolita Applewhaite in her remarks noted that similar activities, such as the walk today, are taking place in all the Member and Associate Member states.

She highlighted that the first four years of observing Wellness Day focused on raising the awareness of the burden of NCDs at both the Regional and National levels and on Member States prioritising the battle against the diseases in their plans.

In going forward, the Community?s Wellness Day observances will be centered around preventing and controlling NCDs throughout the life cycle. ?It is in that context that this year we begin with a focus on children in order to promote a healthy lifestyle from as early as possible and provide them with the foundation to ensure a healthy and productive workforce and population,? Ambassador Applewhaite.

Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre participating in the Wellness Walk

She added that adults have the responsibility to lead healthy lifestyles for their personal well-being, as well as to ensure a healthy and productive workforce and an equal responsibility to their children to set good examples.

?Therefore, let us resolve to address our NCD risk factors and be good examples to the children around us?let us also resolve to do what we can to ensure that our children develop healthy lifestyles to protect their health and wellbeing full in the knowledge that the health of the region is the wealth of the region,? she emphasised.

Source: http://gina.gov.gy/wp/?p=1444

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