To strengthen the efforts to prevent and control the impact of Non Communicable Chronic Diseases within our society, The Chronic Disease Unit, Ministry of Social Development and The Nutrition and Health Promotion Department, Health Authority of Anguilla have embarked on a number of initiatives. One such initiative is the Workplace Wellness Programme where existing interventions are used together as part of a comprehensive integrated approach.
A comprehensive approach puts policies and interventions in place that address multiple risk factors and health conditions. The interventions and strategies chosen may influence multiple organization levels including individual employee behaviour change, organizational culture, and the workplace environment. It is important for the overall workplace health programme to contain a combination of individual and organizational level strategies and interventions to influence health.
The undertaken involves a partnership formed with health sector and management of respectable organizations, aiming to prevent the development and reduce the impact of other chronic illnesses on workplace productivity.
The Anguilla Air and Sea Ports Authority (AASPA) management was approached to join this initiative and readily agreed indicating its interest in its employees’ wellbeing. The Wellness Programme at the Port Authority was launched March 22nd 2016 with an initial screening exercise for the staff for the common risk factors associated with Chronic Diseases. This screening component of the exercise established baseline data from which the Port Authority will build further programming for the staff. Chief Executive Officer AASPA Mr. Vanroy Hodge stated that AASPA considers workplace wellness as workplace health promotion activities and established organizational policy that is designed to support healthy behavior for employees to achieve health targets and outcomes.
AASPA plans to sustainably implement healthy lifestyle oriented programmes to establish a healthy work environment. The plan is to develop more attention to nutrition and overall health. Unfortunately, the impact on productivity is obvious in some instances at AASPA. Even though wellness programs require investments up front, AASPA plans to facilitate most and fund some programs, because such programs save companies money in the long run, improve overall workforce productivity, and enhance employee morale.
In agreement, Senior Health Educator Mrs. Jennifer Gumbs, who forms a key part of this initiative, indicated we must reduce the burden of diabetes and hypertension among our population and this can only be done through collaboration between agencies and organizations.
Adding to that Chronic Disease Director, Mrs. Twyla Bradshaw-Richardson, emphasized that modifiable health risks that lead to diseases can be decreased through workplace health promotion and disease prevention programs. Workers make up a significant part of our population and therefore a healthy workplace is one in which workers and managers can collaborate to use as a continual improvement process to protect and promote the health, and wellbeing of all workers. She also specified that the approach to Chronic Disease management is not entirely a health care issue but involves all segments of the society working together, the more we unite our efforts the faster we get a handle on the disease burden.
The Chronic Disease Unit and the Nutrition and Health Promotion Department applaud the AASPA in recognizing their role in making the efforts in fostering an enabling environment for their staff.
They also encourage other workplaces to make a move to implement awareness, education, and behavioral change strategies within the work environment. If there is any organization that requires technical support to making steps towards a healthier environment for their staff feel free to contact the Chronic Disease Unit or the Nutrition and Health Promotion Department at 497-3930 or 497-3763 where we will be pleased to assist you.
