Faculty of Medical Sciences hosts Activities Workshop Next Month In Barbados

The Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill is hosting a physical activities workshop in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization, the Centre for Disease Control and the Ministry of Health, Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Commission, next month in Barbados. 

The event entitled ‘The Active Caribbean Workshop: Road to the Wellness Revolution’ comes off at the Accra Beach Hotel & Resort on Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7.

Chairman of the Workshop Prof. Henry Fraser said that the workshop’s purpose is to initiate the development of national plans for physical activity promotion and to stimulate the implementation of selected interventions for increasing population level physical activity among the countries of the Caribbean, in collaboration with national agencies.

He said that the Faculty of Medical Sciences was happy to host the workshop in support of the Port of Spain Declaration calling for all Caribbean territories to join the fight against chronic non-communicable diseases. “We see our role not just as healers but as preventers.  A number of the diseases that we treat on a daily basis, which are draining our national budgets and filling our clinics and hospitals, could well be prevented with a sensible diet and exercise.  We are hoping that this workshop will be a catalyst for future change in terms of our joint commitment to increasing the activity level of our people.”

A number of issues are to be highlighted at the Active Caribbean Workshop including the contribution of the built environment, culture and the media, schools’ programmes, integrating exercise into healthcare, popular sports and gyms and integrating physical activity into everyday life.

Leading the workshop discussions is a diverse group of experts from around the region, USA and Brazil.  It is expected that a multi-sectoral group of persons from the Caribbean Region (CARICOM countries) will attend.

Caption: Prof. Henry Fraser, Chairman, Active Caribbean Workshop