Health Minister Says ‘Wellness At Work’ Manual Will Be Out Soon

Health and Wellness Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, says the Ministry is to roll out its ‘Wellness at Work’ manual soon.

“It will encourage employers to pay more attention to worker satisfaction by engaging in non-work activities that promote wellness,” Dr. Tufton said at the handover of funds raised from the 2019 Guardsman Games, on Tuesday (February 25), at the company on Old Hope Road.

“Health is really a lifestyle. The emphasis on wellness is a fundamental approach that is a game changer in the approach to health in Jamaica. One of the things we want to encourage are activities that are centred on wellness and lifestyle,” the Minister explained.

Dr. Tufton noted that the manual is a complement to the Ministry’s wellness agenda, aimed at encouraging Jamaicans to recognise the importance of the preservation of health.

This, the Minister said, is another of the initiatives implemented by the Ministry to promote healthy lifestyles among citizens. Others include the ‘Jamaica Moves’ campaign, and the ‘Better For You’ menu.

Dr. Tufton lauded the Guardsman Group for its promotion of active lifestyles through its Guardsman Games.

“The Guardsman Games represent for us an important part of that wellness Jamaica Moves agenda, and partnership in that regard is fundamental to promoting that event. This event is a calendar event that we hope will continue for a very long time, that we hope will encourage all Jamaicans, both corporate and otherwise, to participate in and enjoy, and make health become a lifestyle to enjoy longevity and quality of life,” he added.

The money from the 2019 Guardsman Games was donated to the Bustamante Hospital for Children and local charities Kind Hearts Foundation and Sarah’s Children Advocacy Group.

To date, Guardsman Group, via the Guardsman Games and Guardsman Foundation, has donated, in kind, more than $2,000,000 to the Bustamante Hospital for Children.

This is represented in a donation of a solar energy system in July 2018 that powers the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Since installation, it has generated more than 7,000 KWh annually, with estimated savings of around $300,000 per year.

Additionally, more than $2,000,000 in cash and kind has been donated by the security company to the Kind Hearts Foundation.

The presentation to Sarah’s Children Advocacy Group is to take place on March 8.

Director of the Guardsman Group, Commander George Overton, said the next staging of the Guardsman Games is scheduled for March 21, 2021.

“We will continue to provide for the Jamaican marketplace good family fun and entertainment. It also gets us off the couch and outside into healthy lifestyles. For the Guardsman Group team, it has been a truly gratifying initiative,” he said.

Qualifiers in the 2019 Guardsman Games will be eligible to participate in the 2020 Obstacle Course Race (OCR) World Championships October 2 to 4 and the North American Obstacle Course Racing Championships (NorAm) August 9 to 11, in the United States.

Launched in 2016, the Guardsman Games aim to raise funds to help the Guardsman Foundation’s charities, which are focused on Jamaica’s youth.