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Good Move by SZV, sponsor of the Walk to Prevent Immobility organized by the Sint Maarten Police Pensioners and Retirees Association.

We of the U 2 CAN MOVE Organization were elated to see the large turnout for the early Saturday walkathon organized by the Sint Maarten Police Pensioners and Retirees Association and sponsored by the SZV. Several members of the U 2 CAN MOVE Fitness program joined the large group of persons early on May 7th in an appropriately 6K walk, the MP stated in a recent release.

In commenting on the event, U 2 CAN MOVE founder, MP Sarah Wescot-Williams emphasized the importance of physical mobility.
I always motivate my members with the phrase that it does not matter what you do, once your activity contributes to bodily movements. Walking is a natural exercise and since we have been blessed with such a beautiful climate, we can surely walk to prevent many diseases and ailments that can affect our health.

The risks of walking are minimal and all steps count towards better health. The evidenced benefits of walking, especially if you push for some moderate exertion are numerous. Evidenced benefits such as lower risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels and lower risk of diabetes, improved sleep and more. So the brisker the walk, the better the results. In controlling our weight, walking does burn calories and should be part of a healthy lifestyle.

MP Wescot in her statement regarding the health walk, touched on the larger picture of the overall health of our nation, an area of continued concern for the MP.

Approximately twelve years ago, a study on St. Maarten revealed that almost 40% of the children studied were overweight and some 54% were obese and that the leading diseases in adults were high blood pressure and diabetes.

Today we talk a lot about cutting health cost, reducing the national health bill and collecting outstanding sickness premiums. Needless to say that several areas of our health system are in need of reform. However there should be a concerted effort to improve better health and the overall wellbeing of our population.

This should be based on the health data of our country through the long awaited Health Information System and with the focus that prevention is always better than cure. This should be the motto of all health agencies and providers, beginning with the ministry of public health. Not sporadically, but based on a vision, the MP added.

If we wish to truly perform sustainable reform actions in the health sector, much more urgency needs to be demonstrated for the overall health of our community, for updated health data and for universal health coverage, MP Wescot stated in a not so subtle reference to the ongoing discussions regarding reforms.