Caribbean Wellness Day (CWD) was observed across the region on Saturday, September 14, reminding regional communities to take action and maintain healthy lifestyles under the theme ‘Power Through Collective Action’: “Good Health is our Right.”
CWD is also about promoting collectively good health and well-being of the whole of society, the Collective Prevention Service (CPS), a department within the Ministry of Public Health, Social Development and Labor (Ministry VSA) said.
Non-Communicable Diseases are prevalent in Sint Maarten and within the region such as Obesity, Hypertension, Diabetes, Heart Disease and Mental Health to name a few.
Minister of Public Health, Social Development and Labor Veronica Jansen Webster CWD message over the weekend was: “This Caribbean Wellness Day 2024, under the theme “Good Health is our Right,” is an essential opportunity for Sint Maarten to join the region and international community in promoting activities to increase awareness and support healthy lifestyle behaviors.
“Sint Maarten has been proactive in undertaking measures to ensure that there are collective efforts to increase awareness through its annual Calendar of Health Observance which highlights Caribbean Wellness Day, as well as raising awareness for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) that impacts our community such as hypertension, diabetes, prostate and breast cancer.
“Our Ministry of Public Health Social Development, and Labor established a NCDs National Plan which takes a strategic approach to reduce the population burden of NCDs through prevention and supporting policy.
“With these and many more activities, we aim to achieve healthier behaviors thereby creating a healthy environment and community, supported by a collective approach in the decision-making process.”
The CWD theme is also in line with the World Health Organizations (WHO) World Health Day 2024 theme back in April of ‘My Health, my right.’
CPS is calling on all citizens to review their eating habits and behaviors to see what can be changed to prevent chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes that lead to heart attacks, strokes, and premature death.
Many cancers are attributable to lifestyles acquired while we mature from youngsters to the aged (adulthood). Changes made to poor dietary practices and the lack of activity such as exercise can greatly improve health outcomes and overall wellness.
CPS encourages members of the community to consult with their family physician or other health related organizations to learn more about healthy lifestyles and take action to improve the overall wellness, and to participate and get involved in promoting health and wellness in their neighborhoods, making health a right for all be it my right, your right, our right.
Striving for good quality health is a vision that requires a continued collective approach, and it is a must for everyone! Influencing positive lifestyle changes is by working together to better our health.
The CARICOM Heads of Summit on Chronic Diseases in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, September 2007, established Caribbean Wellness Day.
Caribbean Wellness Day is observed every year on the second Saturday of September.