4 August 2006

By Moruakgomo Masibi and Sipho None

MOGALE City local municipality's banquet hall was turned into a temporary health centre when health specialists and residents came in their droves to celebrate annual Wellness Day.

Wellness Day, a joint initiative between the local municipality and the Munimed Medical Aid Scheme, is dedicated to developing a healthy lifestyle.

"It is good to see so many people attending this activity compared to the last year's low turn-out. What we want to achieve at the end is to afford people an opportunity to know their health status and welfare and maintain good healthy lifestyles," Priscilla Lekgetho, the Employee Assistance Specialist (EAP), said. "This, on its own, indicates that our municipality is well on track when it comes to service delivery. On a positive note, when people know their health status they will begin to consult their family doctors, and this will reduce the level of absenteeism in the workplace."

Bernadette Potgieter from Munimed, called on people to go for medical check-ups. "We do this four times a month and the response from both the public and municipality's employees has been overwhelming since the inception of this initiative." Potgieter said that this was the first time the scheme had partnered with Mogale City.

Though the event was earmarked for municipal staff, members of the public also underwent medical examinations which varied from cholesterol and blood pressure readings, diabetes to eye testing and HIV/Aids testing.

Customer Care senior official Nancy Langa congratulated the EAP's office for initiating a valuable health routine check-up. "This idea is good because some of us do not have sufficient time to go to doctors and clinics for medical check-ups. It is good to know your medical health status and one would begin to work on maintaining good health lifestyle," Langa said.

Commenting on the exercise, Maletsatsi Mvoka, a resident of Bugershoop, said: "I am worried about my weight. But I intend to exercise regularly to shed some kilos. It is also a privilege to be part of such an experience because these services do not come cheap."

However, while the idea received a good response from the public, most people felt that the one-day programme should be extended to at least a week to accommodate people who could not make it on the proposed day.

About The Directorate of Community Services

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