MINISTRY of Health and Medical Services and Ministry of Public Services will promote ‘Walk the Talk for life’ Initiative.
The collaboration is to address the alarming rise of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) in the country.
Minister of Health of Health and Medical Services, Dr Paul Popora Bosawai confirmed to Parliament this week that the MHMS is committed to promoting healthy lifestyles among government employees and those in the private sector.
He said a healthier workforce is more productive, has lower absenteeism rates and health care costs, and enjoys a higher quality of life.
“Government employees, numbering nearly 30,000, represent a significant portion of the Solomon Islands workforce and can serve as role models for the wider community.
“‘Walk the Talk for life’ initiative will enable the Government workforce to increase physical activity and eat healthier diets,” he said.
Minister Bosawai said this will be accompanied with wellbeing screening and early detection of NCD amongst Government officers and other high impact interventions.
Therefore, the MHMS has set the following targets:
- 90% do > 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity during workdays;
- 90% do > 7000 steps a day.
- 50% reduced salt intake to < 5 grams of salt per day;
- 90% consume > 400 grams of fruits and vegetables per day;
- 90% reduce sugar intake to < 10% of the total caloric daily intake;
- trans-fat eliminated.
Furthermore, Minister Bosawai said another critical and important initiative is that will ensure a healthy and informed young population is the Health Promoting School Initiatives.
“Eenabling healthy choices starting in schools can stem the rise in poor nutrition, physical inactivity, obesity and NCDs among school-aged youth into adulthood. Health promoting schools aims to enable school children to make healthy life choices.
“Health Promoting Schools are institutions that create physical environments, curricula and health services, that enable students to make healthy choices and behaviors,” he said.
“It lays the groundwork for healthier adulthoods. This initiative will support updating, implementing and monitoring health-promoting school policies, including canteens to ensure access to nutritious food, participatory learning and skills to reduce gender-based violence,” he added.
Therefore, the MHMS has set the following targets for pour healthy promoting schools:
- 50% of health promoting schools in Solomon Islands met criteria of health promoting school;
- 100% of health promoting schools implement student-led health-related projects;
- 50 health promoting schools implemented role model initiatives to reduce gender-based violence.
By EDDIE OSIFELO
Solomon Star, Honiara