The Ministry of Health will join the rest of the region this Saturday, September 13, in encouraging its people to “Love that Body”, the theme and slogan chosen by CARICOM for the first-ever Caribbean Wellness Day. The Ministry has created its own version of this slogan by adding the phrase “Move that Body”, to emphasise the need for all persons to exercise regularly.

Caribbean Wellness Day is in recognition of the fact that the Caribbean has a critical problem with Chronic Non-communicable Diseases (CNCDs) and aims to bring awareness to the need to prevent CNCDs.

Acknowledging that the Ministry was pleased with the response to Caribbean Wellness Day, thus far, Senior Medical Officer of Health (CNCDs), Dr. Kenneth George, said “plans are well under way for its execution in Bridgetown this Saturday.

“We have drawn on local talent, fitness instructors, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other entities to pull the day together,” he said, adding that Bridgetown would “come alive from 9:00 a.m., when the programme gets started.”

Members of the public are encouraged to wear flat, comfortable shoes and clothing and exercise or dance with fitness and dance instructors. Some of Barbados’ popular entertainers will also perform and there will be an upbeat gospel segment at the start of the programme, featuring Dragon Slayer and the St. Mary’s Acapella Group, G-Syndicate.

Several NGOs will conduct health checks in Heroes Square, including cholesterol and blood sugar, while at Jubilee Gardens nutrition will be the focus with organisations involved in food production and preparation providing advice and demonstrations on healthy eating.

Street theatre will be featured on Swan Street and tuk band music will be provided on Broad Street by the Pinelands Creative Workshop and Ruk-A-Tuk International respectively.

Meanwhile, Broad Street will be closed to vehicular traffic for four hours, from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. allowing for comfortable, exhaust-free movement by shoppers. Motorists are asked to take note of this and to follow the directions of police officers in uniform.

Shoppers are especially urged to patronise the stores in and around Bridgetown as a number of them have “come on board’’ with the Health Ministry and will be showcasing healthy products and foodstuff that will be provided at discounted prices on Caribbean Wellness Day.

The programme for Caribbean Wellness Day will climax at 3:00 p.m.

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