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World Health Day Promotes Physical Fitness

Contact: Rose Marie Harris

Friday, April 05, 2002 - As Saint Lucia joins the rest of the world in observing World Health Day on Sunday April 07, 2002, under the theme “Move for Health” Minister for Health, Human Services and Family Affairs Honourable Damian Greaves has commended Saint Lucians who are involved in regular physical activity.

Despite this, Minister Greaves says, the Ministry of Health will continue to implement strategies designed to encourage more persons to engage in some sort of sustained physical activity. According to the minister, during the ensuring financial year (April 2002 – March 2003), the staff of Health Ministry will be working at the community level to promote physical fitness and healthy lifestyles.

Some of the activities the ministry will be engaged in include working with the private sector to develop workplace interventions to promote physical activity programmes and the training of health care professionals and other allied health care workers in the benefits and physiology of physical activity/exercise with a view to incorporating such activities into client care.

The ministry also intends to work alongside the Department of Youth and Sports to promote the formation of a “Walkers Clubs” and collaborate with the Ministry of Education regarding the physical education programme in schools.

The Health Minister says his ministry estimates that three out of every ten deaths annually are due to heart disease and hypertension. The increased prevalence of other non-communicable chronic diseases otherwise known as lifestyle diseases can be reversed if persons pay closer attention to diets and physical fitness, he added.

• Read Full Text of Health Minister's Address

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