The Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority (AASPA), which is seeking to assert itself in a number of ways, has now launched a Workplace Wellness Programme for its employees.
The launch was on Tuesday, March 22, on the grounds of the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport where a number of tents provided accommodation for various health screening tests and the delivery of health information.
The AASPA’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Vanroy Hodge, told the gathering that his organisation considered “workplace wellness as workplace health promotion activities, and established organisational policy, designed to support healthy behaviour for employees to achieve health targets and outcomes.”
He continued: “The general goal is to develop processes for enabling employees to increase control over, and to improve, their health. The concept of health promotion in this context is a flexible approach and will be carried out at the workplace as well as in many other settings. Commonly known as ‘corporate wellbeing’, workplace wellness [includes] a variety of activities such as health fairs, health education, medical screenings, healthy office snack delivery services; health coaching, weight management programmes, wellness newsletters, on-site fitness programmes and/or facilities and educational programmes. The AASPA plans to sustainably implement all of the said mechanisms to establish a healthy work environment.”
The Ports Authority CEO added: “Even though wellness programmes require investments up front, AASPA plans to facilitate most and fund some programmes. [This] is because such programmes save companies money in the long run, improve overall workforce productivity, and enhance employee morale.”
Mrs. Twyla Bradshaw-Richardson, Director of the Chronic Disease Unit, said the AASPA had readily agreed to implement the Unit’s Wellness Programme to screen employees for common risk factors associated with chronic diseases.
She stated that Senior Health Educator, Mrs. Jennifer Gumbs, who plays a key role in the wellness initiative, had indicated a need to reduce the burden of diabetes and hypertension among Anguilla’s population. It was noted that this could only be done through collaboration with agencies and organisations such as the AASPA.
Mrs. Bradshaw-Richardson emphasised that “modifiable health risks, that lead to diseases, can be decreased through workplace health promotion and prevention programmes.”
She added: “The Chronic Disease Unit and the Nutrition and Health Promotion Department applaud the AASPA for recognising its role in making and fostering an enabling environment for its employees.”
The launch of the AASPA Wellness Programme included blood sugar and high blood pressure screening and vision tests. The National HIV AIDS Programme was also represented.
