The Upper West Regional Health Directorate has launched a Keep Fit Club aimed at promoting physical fitness and healthy living among individuals in the region.
The club, which was initially started a few months ago for health workers, has now been opened up to the general public. The launch, which started with a float through some principal streets in Wa on Saturday, October 26, 2024, drew hundreds of participants from all walks of life.
Dr Damain Punguyire, the Upper West Regional Health Director, emphasized the essential role of physical activity in maintaining health.
He explained that “we realized that most of our staff after we conducted health screening carring risk factors for non communicable diseases. Some are over weight; some are having high sugar levels with different levels of risk.”
“But the nature of our work, we are not able to exercise. You cannot be also walking to work, so we dressed up; we come and sit in the office; we get back home and then the whole week is over.
“Then we decided every weeknd, once Saturdays to walk and exercise so that we can strengthen our health, reduce our wait so that we can stay strong. So we started and we realized that the interest from the general public is very high. So we invited everyone,” Dr Punguyire added.
The launch was themed “Fostering Peace and Unity through Keep Fit Activities,” which seeks to promote peace before, during, and after the December 7 general elections.
According to Dr Punguyire, the health directorate is also using the club's launch to highlight the need for peace and tolerance in the region.
“We know through out the years Upper West Region has been noted for peaceful elections. We have not had incidences of violence since 1992 in this region related to election but we know that every election comes with its own challenges.
“We are not complecent about the successes that we have chalked over the years. We know this is not the same in other regions, as the campaigns heat up you can hear gunshots and people beating each other at radio stations but so far so good for our region.
“We have decided to use this launch to highlight the need for peaceful coexistence, the need for tolerance and the need for togetherness,” Dr Punguyire stated.
Representatives of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who spoke at the launch pledged their commitment to peace.
The regional health directorate also used the occasion to honor some individuals with for their support towards the activities of the Keep Fit Club.
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