Healthy Ageing to be Highlighted on Caribbean Wellness Day
By: , September 9, 2015The Key Point:
Photo: Mark Bell
Acting Director for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Tamu Davidson-Sadler, addresses a JIS ‘Think Tank’ on the activities to mark Caribbean Wellness Day, which will be observed on Saturday, September 12.The Facts
- Acting Director for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Tamu Davidson-Sadler, said the Ministry has partnered with the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) to mark the day.
- The main event will be a Wellness Expo at Emancipation Park on Friday, September 11 from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m., hosted by the Ministry, in collaboration with several partners.
The Full Story
Jamaica will join the rest of the Caribbean in observing Caribbean Wellness Day 2015 on Saturday, September 12, under the theme: ‘Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Ageing’.
Speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’, on September 8, Acting Director for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Tamu Davidson-Sadler, said the Ministry has partnered with the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) to mark the day.
“The celebrations will focus on improving the quality of life of the ageing population, mainly through physical activity, healthy eating, mental and dental assessment and screening for NCDs,” she said.
The main event will be a Wellness Expo at Emancipation Park on Friday, September 11 from 12 noon to 5:00 p.m., hosted by the Ministry, in collaboration with several partners.
Dr. Davidson-Sadler added that the day’s activities will include blood tests, medical checks, demonstrations and food sampling.
The Acting Director indicated that parish health departments will also partner with the local councils for senior citizens to stage various activities across the island. The events will involve the elderly within each parish and will facilitate healthy lifestyle initiatives.
Caribbean Wellness Day has been observed since September 2007, following the Summit on Non-Communicable Diseases in Port of Spain, Trinidad, to address the increased number of chronic non-communicable diseases affecting the region.
Since that Summit, Caribbean Wellness Day has been commemorated on the second Saturday in September every year.
Dr. Davidson-Sadler explained that over the past four years, the main focus has been on the life course of the individual, “from the womb to the tomb, in terms of promoting healthy lifestyle.”
She said in year one, the spotlight was on children; year two, adolescents; year three focused on adults and now year four, matters pertaining to the elderly are being highlighted.
The regional slogan for Caribbean Wellness Day is: ‘Love that Body’.