Chiropractic and wellness programme inaugurated

Health Minister, Benjamin Kumbour, has inaugurated the Chiropractic and Wellness Centre’s Corporate Wellness programme in Accra.

The initiative is targetted at improving the health status of the working-class population. It is also aimed at reducing medical claims, improving morale and enhancing efficiency at work.

Mr. Kumbour at the ceremony observed that most working populations in the country are experiencing an increase in lifestyle-related health conditions.

“Much of the work of the middle and upper-class falls under the category which is described as inactive; this situation is coupled with opportunities for overindulgence while doing less manual work, putting the working-class population at risk of cardio-vascular and other lifestyle-related diseases,” he said.

The Minister congratulated the Chiropractic Centre for spearheading the workplace wellness initiative in the country, adding that complications resulting from unmanaged stress, inactive lifestyles and poor nutrition lead to cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, and are responsible for more than 60 percent of all deaths globally.

He further indicated that the problem is growing faster in low and middle-income countries, and almost half of those who die from chronic disease are in their productive years.

“A key component of every successful nation is a healthy and vibrant workforce. The workplace is therefore the perfect place to start a health and wellness revolution,” he emphasised.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Centre, Dr. Marcus Manns observed that without Chiropractic, complete wellness is impossible.

“In Ghana, and indeed globally, employees and employers alike are grappling with the ever-growing challenge of maintaining a healthy balance between being productive and effective at work, while maintaining a quality life at home.

“It is because of this that the Chiropractic and Wellness Centre felt it was necessary to introduce a programme that specifically targets the workplace.

“The health choices your employees make today create a healthy or sick bottom-line for your company tomorrow,” he said.

Dr. Manns indicated that preventable diseases make up 70 percent of the entire burden of illness and associated cost to corporations.

He also highlighted some of the features of the workplace programme as quarterly corporate wellness workshops, advanced strategies to adapt to stress, workstation exercises, and corporate wellness consultancy.

Dr. Manns said that for Ghana as a whole, the implications are greater. With one member of the family - usually the breadwinner - as part of a workplace wellness programme, “the benefits will not only reach them, but their families too.

“Employee wellness will translate to better health for the entire family as they also have access to information on nutrition, exercises and preventive health care,” he remarked.