The Director of the SPICES project Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi making a presentation at the seminar
Written By Joseph Odoi
The Director of the SPICES project Dr. Geofrey Musinguzi has urged the MakSPH community to embrace physical exercises and proper dietary practices in order to prevent cardiovascular diseases. He made these remarks on the first and second day of a three-day packed seminar series on cardiovascular diseases prevention organized by the SPICES Project (18th-20th February, 2020). He argued that the human body is like a machine that requires servicing with proper nutrition and regular exercise to function efficiently and prevent disease.
He emphasized that we must put to use our bodies through physical exercise to minimize the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs.) He also expounded on the dangers of smoking, long exposure to stress episodes and heavy alcohol consumption. He elucidated that healthier lifestyle behaviors delay onset of Cardiovascular Diseases. He used the illness-wellness continuum to illustrate health as a dynamic measure on the scale. He noted that majority find comfort in the false wellness, and thus do little to strive for good health. He said that good health/optimal health is worked for through regularly exercising and proper dietary practices rich in fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Musinguzi further sensitized the MakSPH community about the need for regular screening for CVD. He noted that screening is a getaway to prevention and control of CVDs. In the quest to walk the talk, participants were treated to CVD risk factor on all the three days of the seminar, besides being equipped with valuable knowledge and tips. Students and staff received screening for Blood sugar, Blood Pressure, Waist and Hip ratio, Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) and lifestyles. High risk participants were advised to seek further care and all were asked to embrace healthier behavior lifestyles. Over 100 staff and students at MakSPH, received comprehensive CVD risk factor and participated in the well-attended seminars.
The seminars, all chaired by Professor Fred Nuwaha attracted curiosity from almost all participants who asked questions around their eating habits, over and underweight concerns among others.
Apart from attending in very large numbers, MakSPH staff and student kept the seminars very lively as they shared their personal lifestyle experiences in line with CVD risk prevention. On the third day, the screening was crowned off by the Dean MakSPH, Professor Rhoda Wanyenze .
The MakSPH community expressed gratitude towards this initiative by the SPICES project adding that such services should be rendered more often. SPICES project is funded by the European Union through Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Action.
