2017-10-12Staff Report 2 Obrein Simasiku Omuthiya-Residents of Tsumeb received free health screening services that would allow residents with medical conditions they might not know about to seek medical attention without delay. The Ministry of Youth, Sport and National Services (MYSNS) organised the event in conjunction with Tsumeb Youth Forum. “We offered free health screening to the community by partnering with healthcare providers. Health is not just the absence of diseases; it is a state of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Health enables us to engage with life, as being unhealthy hinders us to easily share loving relationships with our families and friends, as well as fully participate in our day-to-day work. “Eventually that prevents us from making meaningful contributions to our communities, or effectively competing on the global stage,” the head of Tsumeb MYSNS, Selly Mudhika, said regarding the motive behind the event. The screenings took place in a fun format that allowed for an engagement with the entire family, from children to adults, with the aim of building a healthy community and uniting families. The organisers also wanted families, especially adults, to spend some time away from drinking holes and shebeens, where alcohol abuse is rife. The community engaged in various fun and educational activities, such as tUg of war, squash a balloon, game boards and free health check-ups. “We all make decisions that affect our health, for better or worse, every hour of every day. In order to encourage and support the right choices and improve the health of our community it is in our best interest to strive for new culture of health and wellbeing for our nation. “The first impact of unhealthy population on our economy is the reduction of productivity, but for many, it’s not that easy to adopt new healthy behaviour. In fact, our society often makes it hard,” Mudhika noted. “Mudhika further stated that kids grow up with “present but absent parents” in homes, which impacts them negatively in the long run. “We need to raise children that have all the support they need to be productive citizens of this country.” 2017-10-12Staff Report 2
