With UNICEF support…
THREE new ones were established, this week alone, after the responsible Ministry initiated health clubs in secondary schools, Coordinator of the project, Mrs. Suelle Findlay-Williams reported. She told the Guyana Chronicle the latest are at Parika/Salem, East Bank Essequibo and Annandale and Cummings Lodge, East Coast Demerara.
Findlay-Williams said another is expected to be at President’s College in September and, by year end, six more in different parts of the country.
The Ministry is hoping to have such establishments in as many schools as possible by 2015 but, at present, 52 are active in the different Administrative Regions.
The aim of establishing them is to teach students to promote health messages, empower themselves with information and practice healthy living.
Findlay-Williams said each Region has a representative who reports quarterly, so the Ministry has an idea of the progress made.
She said, currently, strengthening their networking and communication capabilities are the priorities and an interactive website is at www.health.gov.gy/healthclub which allows young people to be part of a virtual community where information is shared and networks are built.
“It is difficult for the children to meet each other at one point, so using the Internet helps to bridge that gap,” Findlay-Williams said.
Adolescent Development and Participation Officer of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Ms. Jewell Crosse, whose responsibility is to oversee the project, agrees.
She said UNICEF supports the promotion of healthy lifestyles and encourages young people to take charge of their health and its promotion in their respective areas.
Crosse explained that young people, in recent times, have been exposed to information that is not always correct and the health clubs assist with the correction.
She also observed that there is a multiplying effect in the promotion of health messages.