The Active City Development Program (ACDP) and partners joined the global campaign in partnership with the Health Department to commemorate World Health Day (WHO) in Port Moresby recently.
The World Health Day is a global health awareness celebrated every year on April 7, under the sponsorship of WHO, as well as other related organizations.
Each year when celebrating the event, attention is drawn to specific health topics of concern for people in their respective countries and communities.
In marking the event in Port Moresby last Sunday morning, about 100 people joined ACDP and partners walk from South Side Fitness Centre in Kone to the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium at Konedobu, while social distancing and observing COVID-19 precautions.
The purpose of the walk was to bring various partners, agencies and organizations together to promote health and fitness through walking.
The World Health Day walk also served the purpose of bringing attention to the importance of individual health, including the promotion of services and solutions for city residents.
The 2022 World Health Day theme, “Our Planet, Our Health and focused on global attention on climate actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy in order to create societies that are focused on well-being.
ACDP Founder and Director, Fazilah Bazari said,” The climate crisis is the biggest threat to human beings. By taking care of our Planet, we are also taking care of our health.”
She encouraged those who attended to continue to exercise and move their bodies for physical health, stating that preventative health is the most honorable job that all can do.
World Health Organization Country Representative, Dr. Sevil Huseynova spoke about climate change and the effect that it can have on health.
Deputy Secretary for Public Health, Ken Wai as the keynote speaker during the event said, “Climate and environment play a pivotal role to keep people and the world safe.
“As a country we are faced with many challenges but we need to commit to protecting our environment as our life and way of living are linked to planet earth.”
Representatives from the PNG Kidney Foundation, NCD Provincial Health Authority also gave vital talks on the need to eat garden food and drink water for better, overall health. They also urged everyone to get vaccinated in order to protect themselves and their loved ones from contracting COVID-19.
The FHI 360, UN Women Sanap Wantaim, Hope World Wide, Kina Bank and Queenspads were also part of the event.
Several of the organizations had booths set up at the Sir Hubert Murray Stadium for people to learn more about the health-related services that they offer to the Port Moresby community.
