Hundreds of Participants have today turned up for the National day of Physical Activity hosted at Kaunda grounds in Gulu City.
The event organized by Gulu City Council in Partnership with the Ministry of Health was flagged of by the Minister of State for Health in charge of General Duties, Hon. Anifa Kawooya, where Participants participated in a 10 kilometre walk, run and cycling challenge at Kaunda Grounds.
Held under the theme “Get Active, Stay Healthy: Physical Activity for Healthy Wellbeing,” the event has brought together government leaders, health workers, students, security agencies, development partners and members of the public to promote regular physical activity as an effective way of preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Minister Kawooya says the event seeks to encourage Ugandans to make physical activity part of their daily routine, noting that regular exercise plays a critical role in reducing the risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other lifestyle-related illnesses.
She further urges every Ugandan to dedicate at least 30 minutes each day to physical activity to improve their health and overall well-being.
Beyond the walk, run and cycling activities, participants are accessing a range of free medical services at Kaunda Grounds.
These include blood pressure checks, diabetes screening, cancer screening, HIV testing and counselling, nutrition counselling, and health education provided by medical professionals from the Ministry of Health and partner institutions.
The National Day of Physical Activity forms part of the Ministry of Health’s nationwide campaign to combat the growing burden of non-communicable diseases by encouraging active lifestyles, routine health screening and healthy living among all Ugandans.
By Patrick Uma
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