Ebere Okey-Onyema, the executive director, Healthy Living and Women Empowerment Initiative (HELWEI), a non-governmental organisation, has said that there is a relationship between poverty and health, and that the agriculture sector plays a key role in the life of every nation.
Okey-Onyema, who made the observation in Lagos at a two-day workshop, said lean resources adversely affect people’s health as they would not have enough to eat to stay healthy.
“If we are telling people to eat well, we must also tell them the need to get involved in farming. They need the resources to feed well and remain healthy. Sometimes, you discover that even some people who have the means do not eat rightly thereby causing problems for themselves.
“Some do not know how to manage their little resources. So, we want to bridge the gap between poverty and health. When people do not have the resources, they are poor, and someone that is poor will not be able to make a good choice in terms of nutrition. If you don’t eat well, you become sick and unproductive. That’s why HELWEI decided to organise the workshop to bridge the gap,” she said.
The workshop held inside the secretariat of Ipaja/Ayobo LCDA and co-sponsored by the Council, was attended by various farming groups and health institutions.
Addressing participants at the workshop on how they can enjoy optimum health and be productive, Folusho Oluwole, a medical doctor and health officer in charge of the LCDA medical centre, urged them to be cautious about what they eat even though they produce food as farmers.
Oluwole said: “Although you are producers of food you may not know how to combine your produce to achieve a balanced diet. Avoid junk foods. They are not good for our body; they increase the risk of hypertension, cancer and many others. Natural food is the way to go. In addition, you need water. Water is very important in the morning, afternoon and night. You also need adequate rest. Eight hours of sleep for every individual is very important.”
The medical officer also explained to them some of the diseases that may arise as a result of poor or faulty nutrition, and how to avoid them.
The workshop featured free medical checks, where every participant had the opportunity to go through some vital checks.
By: Zebulon agomuo
