World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 every year, and yesterday Guyana joined the world in celebrating the day under the theme ‘1000 Cities – 1000 Lives’.
The theme sought to address urbanization, where there is overcrowding and people are more susceptible to diseases.
‘1000 Cities’ focuses on the opening up of public health spaces, whether it be activities in parks, town hall meetings, clean up campaigns, or closing off portions of streets to motorized vehicles; while ‘1000 Lives’ focuses on the collection of 1000 stories of urban health champions whose actions have had a significant impact in their cities.
In any country, urbanization is a matter of concern, since it brings challenges such as water pollution, overcrowding, unemployment, contamination, improper solid waste management, violence, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, and harmful use of alcohol and other drugs.
With these concerns in mind, the Ministry of Health has planned several activities which would seek to assist in some way. The activities target residents and business entities located along Brickdam.
A five-day period of activities begins with a Food Exhibition and Tasting Exercise in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Body Mass Index Check. Other activities include an exhibition and edutainment, a clean-up campaign along Brickdam, and a health fair.
There will be stalls erected along Brickdam, with food courts, and persons will be able to have dental checks, foot examinations, HIV testing, and vision, skin and many other medical checks. To facilitate the health fair on Brickdam, the street will be closed from 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Along with these activities several campaigns will also be launched. The Ministry of Health will launch the Clean Brickdam initiative, Revolution Campaign for a Clean Guyana, Rid the City, Rid Guyana of Plastics, and Walk for Health. These initiatives are to promote a better lifestyle and surroundings for all Guyanese.
The health fair will see the participation of several businesses and organizations in Georgetown, such as the National Aids Programme Secretariat, Guyana Defence Force, the Cheddi Jagan Dental Centre, Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Mercy Hospital, AVON – Beauty and Home Systems, and various departments in the Ministry of Health and other government ministries. (GINA)