NOA, health organisation to create awareness on physical wellness

Worried on the rate of death caused by poor physical wellness, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has entered into a partnership with the Medical and Orthopedic Exercise Nigeria Limited (MOEN) to bring back the consciousness of living a healthy life among Nigerians.

Addressing journalists during a meeting with MOEN, the Director General of NOA, Dr Garba Abari lamented the low life expectancy in Nigeria and the reoccurring death caused by brief illnesses.

“This auspicious gathering today offers an opportunity to remind ourselves of the imperative of prioritizing our health as a people because a fit and healthy population make a fit and healthy nation.

“Unfortunately, Nigeria has a high mortality rate and a low life expectancy of 50 years. It has become commonplace to hear of people in their prime just dropping dead or dying after a brief illness”.

Dr Abari who was represented by the Director of Duties and State Operations, Mrs Mette Edekobi said with modernization, many Nigerians exercise less, which he said carries a health risk.

“Experts have also continued to lament the fact that with modernization and automation, a lot of Nigerians now tend to exercise less and that carries with it an attendant health risk.

“Other elements of wellness which a lot of Nigerians have not paid sufficient attention to include healthy, balanced dieting and regular periodic body check-ups.

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“Not many Nigerians have the contact details of their healthcare providers and perhaps many more believe their state of physical wellbeing is a function of divine destiny rather than conscious personal efforts”, the DG said.

He, therefore said the NOA would be partnering MOEN to design and implement a sustainable healthcare awareness program. He, therefore, called on Nigerians to take advantage of the program to maintain fitness.

“The National Orientation Agency (NOA) as part of its mandate to sensitize and re-orientate Nigerians is concerned about this disturbing physical wellness trend and poor health statistics among Nigerians. There is no gainsaying the fact that exercise and physical fitness are essential to the overall wellbeing of an individual.

“It is against this background that the NOA is partnering with the Medical and Orthopedic Exercise Nigeria Limited (MOEN) to design and implement a sustainable healthcare awareness program. This program is all-encompassing and requires the participation of Nigerians to raise the healthcare awareness level of our people.

“This partnership will provide stakeholders in the health and fitness industry a platform to network and share ideas that will promote community-based wellness by encouraging Nigerians to exercise more regularly and remain physically fit while ensuring the sustainability and profitability of the industry.

“Under this partnership, the NOA will revive the spirit of physical fitness by deploying our structures at National, state and local government levels to mobilize Nigerians to exercise regularly while MOEN will design and implement specific physical fitness programs for mass participation such as the fitness road walk already scheduled for Tuesday, November 19 this year”, Dr Abari said.

The Coordinator of Sesioluwa Sodeinde in his remarks said the program had made provision for the aged and the physically challenged so that they can participate fully.