From:TheBahamasWeekly.com
Minister of Health announces plans for Caribbean Wellness Day
By Betty Vedrine
Sep 8, 2010 - 5:00:15 PM
Minister of Health Dr the Hon Hubert Minnis speaks to the media about Caribbean Wellness Day, which is slated for Saturday, September 11. The event, which is an initiative by CARICOM leaders in the region, focuses on non-communicable chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, hypertension and alcohol abuse. (BIS photo/Patrick Hanna).
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Nassau, Bahamas -- Minister
of Health Dr the Hon Hubert Minnis announced that Caribbean Wellness
Day will be observed on Saturday, September 11 in The Bahamas and other
CARICOM member countries.
“I am proud to announce that
The Bahamas will once again join other countries within the region to
observe Caribbean Wellness Day,” Dr Minnis said during a during a
press conference held just before Cabinet Ministers met in Parliament,
Wednesday, September 8.
Caribbean Wellness Day will
be celebrated under the theme ‘Love Your Body, Portions Count’ and
will feature a cross-section of activities for the whole family including
food demonstrations, health screenings and counselling, informational
booths, sample giveaways, sports activities, physical activity competitions
and entertainment.
The health extravaganza will
be held on the compound of the Ministry of Health on Poinciana Hill
from 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm.
The event commemorates the
signing of the Port of Spain Declaration on September 15, 2007 by the
CARICOM Heads of Governments in order to demonstrate the countries’
commitment to decreasing the epidemic of chronic diseases in the region.
This initiative will focus
on chronic non-communicable diseases including heart disease, hypertension,
stroke, cancer and diabetes – the leading causes of illness and premature
deaths in the Caribbean today.
Attention will also be placed
on physical activity, tobacco, alcohol and salt. The objective
of the declaration is for all Caribbean countries to develop “comprehensive
plans for the screening and management of chronic diseases and risk
factors so that by 2012, 80 per cent of persons with communicable chronic
diseases would receive quality care and have access to preventative
education based on regional guidelines”.
Dr Minnis said, “Now is the
time to take action to improve your health! This means taking
time to care for yourselves. We have the power to prevent or control
chronic diseases. Therefore, it is extremely important to learn the
risk factors and take action to prevent and control those diseases.”
Partners for the event include
the Ministry of Health, The National Insurance Board, Bank of The Bahamas,
Family Guardian, Bahama Health and the Pan American Health Organization.
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