04 Jul 2023

Efforts to encourage healthy living and raise awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCDs) continue.

As such, a Walk for Life campaign dubbed ‘Make Your Feet Your Friend’ will be held starting from Kanye today and finish in Jwaneng on Saturday.

Minister of Health, Dr Edwin Dikoloti, who started the initiative last year, is expected to lead participants in the four-day walk, covering 20 kilometres each day.

Participants will stop at two designated spots to learn about NCDs.

The Walk for Life campaign is a collaboration between the Ministry of Health in partnership with the Southern District Health Management Team (DHMT) and other stakeholders, also held to promote community involvement in raising awareness about NCDs.

In an interview, DHMT health promotions officer, Mr Sylvester Pogiso said they also intended to sensitise the community about the benefits of healthy eating and engaging in physical activity through walking at least 10 000 steps a day.

Mr Pogiso pointed out that NCDs were mainly exacerbated by unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, smoking and harmful use of alcohol.

“Physical activity is an important contributor to good health, including reducing the risk of chronic diseases and promoting healthy weight and good mental health,” he said.

He explained that they had observed the growing burden of NCDs in the country, therefore urged Batswana to rally behind the ministry’s efforts in fighting such diseases.

He also urged Batswana to partake in large numbers because it was important for individuals to take responsibility for their lives.

“If we could successfully fight the NCDs, we would be saving a lot of money that is used to treat patients for such diseases.

If we lead healthy lives, we would not need to spend much money in treatment and such funds could be used for other developments,” Mr Pogiso said.

He further indicated that they had also planned activities for the community that would run all year round, including hiking Kgwakgwe Hill, active Fridays where the workforce would do aerobics as well as senior citizens’ health day. ENDS