01 Jul 2024

Health workers have been encouraged to participate in a range of physical and mental health activities, including sport competitions, healthy eating challenges and exercises.

Officiating at this year’s Ministry of Health Northern Region Inter-Games in Serowe recently, Safety Health Environment (SHE) coordinator, Ms Ellen Kaovera encouraged health workers to support each other and ensure that they were able to take care of themselves as well as their patients. “Your wellbeing is essential to the health of your communities,” Ms Kaovera said.

The week-long competition, which ended on Friday, has brought together teams from 11 District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) in the Northern part of Botswana.

Ms Kaovera said the Inter-Health Games were a vibrant part of promoting healthy lifestyles and improving the wellbeing of staff members and the community.

She said the goal of the games was to promote health and wellness among all those involved, adding that the games were an opportunity to honour healthcare workers and remind them of the importance of compassionate and patient-centered care.

She added that in physical paybacks, the games provided an opportunity for participants to build relationships and nurture some sense of community.

Again, she said the games provided a unique opportunity to recognise and celebrate the important work of healthcare specialists.

She said despite the risks they faced, health workers were on the frontlines of patient care every day.

“Sport and exercise can play a critical role in promoting physical wellness, mental well-being as well as teamwork among employees,” she said. On behalf of Serowe District commissioner, Ms Angelina Leano-Bakoko, HIV/AIDS coordinator, Ms Masego Mabe-Ranthokgwane, based in Serowe urged participants to use the games for awareness about Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Ms Mabe-

Ranthokgwane said NCDs such as hypertension, sugar diabetes, cancer among others, had increased and became a major global concern.

“Creating awareness about NCDs, their risks and avoidable measure was crucial,” she said.

She added that participation in the Inter Health Games would benefit healthcare workers by improving their wellness and would also help to strengthen the health system since it would be run by healthy people.

“Healthy staff in healthy system will help to improve access to quality health care services. By engaging in physical activity and socialising with others, participants would improve their overall health and reduce stress levels.

She further said health workers were faced with increasing pandemics including HIV/AIDS, mental health, and NCDs.

“Healthcare workers can be inspired to provide the best possible care to their clients and to make a positive impact on the lives of those they serve,” she said.

Outlining the event objectives, Northern Inter Health Games chairperson, Mr Gabaitsi Banda, said the games were organised to promote wellness and cooperation, among healthcare workers.

Mr Banda said healthcare workers should be physically and mentally healthy since they provided critical services to the nation.

In his welcome remarks, deputy chief o GaMmangwato, Kgosi Serogola Seretse, warned adults against selling drugs to learners, saying doing so could destroy their lives. He also called upon parents to join forces with other stakeholders to fight alcohol and drug consumption, monitor and report any suspicious behaviour among children.

He expressed concern about some parents who were engaged in selling drugs as well as the prevalence in the use of a drug known as Cat among the youth. ENDS