Continued Pharma Wellness push for workplaces

There is a Wellness Policy in the works, says Minster of Labour and Social Security, Dr. Esther Byer-Suckoo, which will encourage business places to adopt wellness programmes.

Suckoo was speaking at an informative workshop hosted by Pharma Wellness International at the Diabetes Foundation. C.E.O of the organisation, Lennox Pollard, also addressed some members of the Workplace Wellness Programme to give an idea of what the programme included and some of the positive results already attained by those companies involved. With this new knowledge given to businesses already enrolled, they have seen healthier employees, reduced health care and insurance costs, reduced absenteeism, reduced sick leave and in turn better productivity.

Suckoo’s featured address lauded the Wellness Programme and the efforts of those behind the initiative. She stated that the increased productivity due to the attention paid to wellness in an organisation has been tested and proven time and time again and that plans were in the works for a wellness policy to be brought to the forefront. One of her main points was the fact that people do not understand the cost involved in the care of non-communicable diseases and the fatalistic mentality that people tend to have regarding their health.

“Some people believe that it is in their genes and that certain things are unavoidable. They say, my mother and father died from it so why bother,” she stated while noting that persons need to understand that it is not a death sentence and it can be controlled and reversed.

The senator also mentioned the scare in recent years of young persons who have died suddenly and said that it has been shown that they have been associated with non-communicable diseases and the climbing rate. Another point which hit home to many of the audience was a popular Bajan mentality of ‘not wanting to know’, which was the thought process that actually caused more harm than good.

“Contrary to what we like to believe as Barbadians, what we do not know will not hurt you? That is actually not true. Not knowing that you have diabetes and hypertension can hurt you and hurt you even more. In fact not knowing stops you from taking control and improving the situation,” she stated.

There is a fear of people, especially for young people of going to the doctor, the excuses of being too young to go and feeling ‘fine’ are used to explain not going to be checked. The first step of getting checked and then scheduled visits to see progress must be a priority and if it can be started in the workplace with positive peer pressure, the rate of non-communicable diseases can be slowed and these diseases can be avoided or reversed.

“The beauty of Workplace Wellness, is that it is a team approach to wellness and it puts the patients at the centre. It is a regimen of diet and exercise, not just medication and shows that you as the individual can be in control and not just doctor controlled,” she explained.

This team motivation creates a positive environment in the office and understanding of the cost of healthcare helps workers see where money goes. However, all the plans by the government and the programmes presented to businesses by Pharma Wellness Inc., the onus is still in the hands of the individual businesses to get on board and more importantly the individual persons to be empowered.
(AS)