Minister for Health and Social Development, Dancia Penn-Sallah could not contain her excitement last Saturday morning, as she woke her husband at 3:30 am so that they could get ready for the Caribbean Wellness Day Walk – which began at 5 am.

And over 75 persons joined her for a walk dubbed, “Love Your Body”, from Baugher’s Bay to the Central Administration Building with the intention of showcasing the national and community level activities to promote healthy living and encourage residents to develop good health practices.  

“Persons throughout the Caribbean…[came] together for the first time to demonstrate solidarity – a determination to take necessary steps to combat non-communicable diseases in the region,” she told a vibrant audience.        

The message was clear: physical activity, healthy eating and smoke free environments are ingredients to a healthier life.

The first walk of its kind in the Region, Minister Penn-Sallah expressed her appreciation to the audience saying, “Your participation is an indication of your support for this initiative. No doubt you are ware that chronic non-communicable diseases are among the leading cause of death worldwide.” 

The walk commemorated the anniversary of the CARICOM Heads of Government Summit in September 2007, which issued that Port-of-Spain Declaration “Uniting to Stop the Epidemic of Chronic Non-communicable Diseases.”

Dr. Gina Watson, PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean too echoed the sentiments of a choosing a healthy lifestyle.

Her advice was, ”Remember take a few steps to live longer, your family and community will thank you.”

Touching on the lack of exercise, Dr. Rudy Cummings, a representative from the Caricom Secretariat noted the fact many school children live miles away from school, hence making it highly unlikely for them to take the stroll to and fro school.

“That’s why we have to create other opportunities for them to exercise,” he pointed out. “To set public policies to look at the physical aspects especially in the schools.” 

Dr. Cummings was also noted the changing pattern in the way many eat, adding “We are more into canned and manufactured produced that eating produce locally grown.”

A stirring testimony from BVI native Dr. Sebulita Christopher was well received, as she shared her personal experience with a heart attack emphasising the telltale signs in women, which experts say are different to the signs that men experience.

Dr. Christopher also launched her new book entitled “Take it to Heart on the Road with Heart Disease: The Life Changing Journey,” which documents her encounter.

President of the BVI Chamber of Commerce and Hotel Association Dr. Birney Harrigan chaired the brief ceremony.

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