28 Nov 2019

Two Brigade Group Maun and other stakeholders recently embarked on a massive health campaign themed: My Health, My Responsibility,  to promote healthy living among  employees.

The event, organised by Botswana Defence Force (BDF) camp in Maun, attracted other disciplined forces, health related organisations and the business community to educate and create awareness about healthy lifestyles, nutrition, emotional wellbeing, financial health and other life skills.

Participants were treated to physical activities such as aerobics and other sporting activities as well as HIV testing, ear and other health screening, counselling and talks on financial services and management.

In an interview, senior health officer from Ngami District Health Management Team, Mr Kebotlwaetse Kwambala said fostering a culture of health and wellbeing among employees was critical.

He commended the organisers for promoting healthy lifestyles in the workplace, revealing that with chronic health conditions becoming more prevalent, employers were doing more than ever before to not only look after the physical health of their staff, but also their mental health.

Mr Kwambala pointed out that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes and cancer were alarming and as such, investing in bettering their management was critical. 

Management of NCDs includes detecting, screening and treating these diseases, and providing access to palliative care for people in need, he said.

He mentioned contributing factors to NCDs such as genes and lifestyle, adding that physical inactivity, high intake of salt, fats, sweet, eating food less in fibre, smoking and alcohol consumption among others, contribute to NCDs.

Mr Kwambala also stated that it was important to sensitise employees about Sexually Transmitted Infections so that they could join hands to prevent new infections.

He revealed that the theme was relevant as it called on all individuals to take responsibility for their health. 

He said partners should always ensure preventative measures were in place, adding that it was also advisable for all to always exercise, eat well and work well.

One of the organisers, Captain Philip Searobi said a healthy workforce served as the engine of productivity in any organisation, hence they found it fit to organise a wellness campaign for their employees.

He also noted that work-related stress remained the biggest health concern, citing that of late, they had seen some unfortunate incidents related to stress in one of their camps. 

Captain Searobi stressed that providing counselling and motivating staff was critical, as some employees suffered from severe stress, depression or anxiety.

He said he believed that the activity would make a difference as the participants would find the right service providers to address their situations. 

Captain Searobi also revealed that the event was a build up to the World AIDS Day commemoration billed for Maun on Sunday, which would be held under the theme: Communities make a difference. 

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