Africa-Press – Mauritius. The Mauritius Cane Industry Authority, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the Ministry of Health and Wellness, proceeded to the launching of a Health Week for its staff all over the island, at the MCIA in Réduit.
The Attorney General, Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mr Maneesh Gobin, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the MCIA, Mr Satish Purmessur, and other personalities were present at the launching ceremony.
In his keynote address, Dr Jagutpal emphasised that this initiative by the MCIA is in line with the policy of his Ministry to achieve mass sensitisation and screening of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) across the island.
The Minister underlined that it is essential to promote awareness and find ways to bring prevention and early screening to the forefront. “70% of the budget allocated to my Ministry goes for the treatment of diabetes, blood pressure issues and heart diseases because people are not aware of the methods of prevention against those diseases,” he pointed out.
On this score, Dr Jagutpal stressed that it is in this context that his Ministry has shifted its focus from the curative aspect of NCDs to focus instead on prevention and screening.
“It costs more to invest in treatments of NCDs, including cancer treatment such as the colon cancer, but if early screening is done, these can be prevented or even treated at its early stage,” he said.
Government, the Health Minister reiterated, is committed to upgrade cancer care treatment in particular for colorectal cancer as the whole population is vulnerable against colorectal cancer which, according to the latest figures, amounts to some 318 new cases yearly, that is, nearly one detected daily in the country.
“I urge you all to adopt a healthy lifestyle, to participate and to avail of the various screenings and health checks which are being offered this week at the MCIA,” he said.
For his part, Minister Gobin indicated that this Health Week has been organised for the whole staff of the MCIA working across the island, comprising some 550 members, as well as for their relatives.
On this note, he lauded the initiative of the Ministry of Health and Wellness for bringing such prevention campaigns and screenings closer to the population.
Mr Gobin further recalled that several initiatives as regards the wellness of the population have recently been organised jointly by the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the Ministry of Health and Wellness to promote healthcare in the country.
These include: an exhibition to celebrate World Food Day in Saint Pierre where similar prevention campaigns and screenings were done and; the Ayurveda Day in Belvedere to create awareness on Ayurveda and its benefits to healthcare.
“We as authorities, are trying our best at our level to create a healthy nation but, this also requires the efforts of each and every one to take care of their health,” he pointed out.
Minister Gobin thus made an appeal to the population to benefit from these prevention campaigns and to make the most of the screening tests and counselling.
As for the CEO of the MCIA, he indicated that for a business or workplace to operate in healthy conditions, wellbeing of the staff must be put at the forefront.
On this note, Mr Purmessur outlined some of the initiatives undertaken at the level of the MCIA to demonstrate commitment to health and wellness and provide a holistic approach to support the health and safety of its employees.
These include: the setting up of a Welfare Committee within the MCIA; the creation of a Wellness Corner for the staff; a canteen where employees can meet and relax during lunchtime and; sessions of yoga and petanque tournaments outside normal working hours.
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