Dominica MOH launches public employee wellness challenge

By Caribbean Medical News Staff
In keeping with the thrust on preventing and managing Chronic Non Communicable Diseases which include Diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer and to support the vision of Dominica’s PM to have a healthy public service, the Ministry of Health and the Establishment Personnel and Training Department have initiated an Employee Health & Wellness Program for public officers. This program started earlier this year at the Windsor Park Sports Stadium.
Survey
The need for such a program was also as a result of a survey of Public Health officers conducted by the Health Promotion Resource Centre in 2006. The survey reported that 64.1 % of persons examined had a Body Mass Index (BMI) indicating that they were overweight and 23% were considered obese. Overweight and obese persons have an increased risk of suffering from certain chronic Non Communicable Diseases.
The goal of the Employee Health & Wellness Programme is to create the awareness and the need for healthy lifestyle among public officers and to reduce the impact of CNCDs.
The programme’s objectives include:
• Decrease the health risks of employees through education and action, empowering them to be conscientious health care consumers
• Increase employee’s health awareness
• To identify health problems and take the necessary action
• Reducing health care costs
• Increasing the employees’ level of physical activity
• To create a supportive work environment
• Reducing absenteeism and turnover and
• Improving productivity among others
Components of the Health Wellness programme will include Physical activity such as aerobics and walking jogging. Stress Management- provision of information and counselling on stress management specific to the work environment and how to balance work and family. Individual health coaching/ counselling / based on health needs. Health screenings, to include monitoring of blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, cholesterol, breast examinations, referral for prostate screening and advice on appropriate referral and follow-up Education & Awareness: conducting of workshops, classes and providing information on common health problems.
A total of four hundred people have already registered and participated in phase one of the ongoing programme to promote health and wellness in the Commonwealth of Dominica.