Africa-Press – Botswana. The director of public health, Mr Samuel Kolane, says frequent exercising and healthy nutrition are important to control diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Speaking at the end of a 100 kilometre Walk for Life journey in Molepolole on October 21,
he said everyone must be responsible for their lives and that government was providing the best health care, but that the onus was upon individuals.
He said with people no longer having to travel long distances to access services because of technology, exercising was crucial and that non-communicable diseases also affected the youth.
Member of Parliament for Molepolole North, Mr Oabile Regoeng, said he hoped the Walk for Life initiative could be an annual event, and urged health ministry officials to budget for it in the coming financial years.
He said people no longer took part in activities that required physical activity because they had vehicles and employees to clean their yards.
He applauded the 76-year-old chief walker, Mr Stanley Monageng for the journey that started in Ditshegwane and ended in Molepolole, making stops in Letlhakeng and Thebephatshwa Air base.
Mr Monageng said exercising was important and that he realised its importance when bedridden.
He said a daily short walk to a tuckshop helped him to regain his strength and that he vowed to continue walking. He noted that his first solo walk was from Gaborone to Francistown, adding that he was thrilled when the Minister of Health invited him to take part in the walk which started in Kanye last year.
Monageng, who is the director of Molepolole-based Thusang Bana Centre, said exercising has helped him to remain healthy and that he recovered from TB, adding he was also was free from high blood pressure.
The Walk for Life campaign started on 16 October and had stop overs in Letlhakeng, Serinane, Thebepatshwa and Maothate before arriving in Molepolole on October 21.
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