Workplace Health Safety and Wellness:

Working with your heart

Dr. K. Kuhathasan, CEO: CENLEAD

“Work with a heart” was the theme of this year’s “World Heart Day” which was held recently.

The International Labour Organization (ILO), the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Ministries of Healthcare and Nutrition, Labour Relations and Manpower and Public Administration and Home Affairs are promoting a healthy and safe workplace through a series of promotional activities.

According to the Secretary, Ministry of Healthcare and Nutrition Dr. Athula Kahadaliyanage, promoting and protecting health in the workplace can largely contribution to prevent non-communicable diseases especially cardiovascular diseases. Such initiatives can achieve many benefits including increased productivity, reducing absenteeism, improved working capacity, high morale of the staff and can also reduce expenses spent on medical insurance.

Risk factors

In a message to mark “World Heart Day” Dr. Kahadaliyanage said the common risk factors of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) are unhealthy diet, tobacco and alcohol consumption and lack of physical activity. Prevalence of unhealthy diet is the main cause of NCDs.

Around 80 percent of the population in Sri Lanka does not consume a healthy diet. A person needs to include five portions of vegetables and fruits in his/her daily diet. Avoiding the consumption of alcohol and smoking is also helpful to keep diseases at bay.

Misconceptions

A popular misconception about non-communicable diseases is that older people die of these diseases. According to reports half of the people dying of chronic NCDs are under 70.

To be continued