By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, Sept. 23, GNA — More than 400 pupils of the Community 11 Complex A&B Primary School in Tema have participated in a health education and aerobics session organised by the CERMES Foundation as part of its “Let’s Talk Health” initiative.
The session, held at the school’s astroturf, combined health education with physical activity to encourage the pupils to adopt healthy lifestyle habits.
Ms Ernestina Antwi-Boasiako, Administrator of CERMES Foundation, said the Tema-based non-governmental organisation focused on health and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) education.
Ms Antwi-Boasiako stated that the foundation’s programmes included visits to public junior high schools to provide preventive health education to pupils.
Dr Fiifi Andoh Baidoe, a Medical Doctor at Achimota Hospital and resource person for the session, led an interactive discussion on physical activity and lifestyle diseases.
Dr Baidoe engaged the pupils through questions and discussions on healthy living and encouraged them to incorporate regular exercise and healthy eating habits into their daily lives.
He explained physical activity in simple terms as activities such as running, walking and jumping, and encouraged the pupils to engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily.
He identified obesity, high blood pressure, weak bones and heart disease as some lifestyle-related conditions, and discussed factors he said could contribute to them, including excessive consumption of sugary foods, exposure to smoking, prolonged sitting and stress.
He explained heart disease as a condition in which fatty deposits could block blood vessels and make the heart work harder, while obesity involved having excessive fat in the body.
Dr Baidoe advised the pupils to eat fruits and vegetables, drink adequate water, exercise regularly and have regular medical check-ups.
He also emphasised the importance of adequate sleep, saying it helped the body to remain refreshed, while regular physical activity helped strengthen the heart and muscles.
At the end of the health talk, the pupils recited a pledge to exercise regularly and eat more fruits and vegetables.
The health education session was followed by an aerobics session led by Mr David Copperfield Atsu, Tema Metro Physical Education Coordinator.
The pupils participated in various physical exercises, including jumping, stretching and rhythmic movements, while some teachers also joined the activity.
The school management expressed appreciation to the CERMES Foundation for choosing the school to host the session.
They said the enthusiastic participation of teachers and pupils demonstrated the school’s support for the initiative.
Mr Justice Esuam, the School Improvement Support Officer (SISO), commended the initiative and called for more of such programmes.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Odeng Adade
Reporter: Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo, GNA
Email: [email protected]