Take ownership of your health.
This is the call from Ministry of Health head of wellness Dr Devina Nand as non-communicable diseases and cancers continue to afflict communities across the nation.
Dr Nand said the ministry was focused on promoting health and physical activities to create more visibility around NCDs, different types of cancer and its impacts.
She said collaboration and integration was needed across the healthcare space, whether it was about NCDs, leptospirosis, maternal health and child health, or mental health.
In addition, Dr Nand said there was a tendency for people to always view health as a Ministry of Health problem.
However, she said this was an issue that affected all individuals as productivity and development of a nation were linked to the health of the population.
“The first step is really taking care of your health,” she said.
“That means eating right, it means going for the right amount of physical activity for your age. It means stopping smoking altogether. It means not taking alcohol. It means cutting down on sugar, fats, and oils.
“And of course, taking care of your mental health, and we’re here as the ministry to support you.
“We can only tell you what to do, what the dangers are, but the actions have to be taken on by individuals by communities.
“And what we want from individuals and community is for them to take action in their space.”
