#Jamaica, October 10, 2017 – Montego Bay – There is no substitute for a healthy lifestyle, and Jamaicans should take the matter of caring for their bodies very seriously, says Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

Addressing a ceremony for the official opening of the expanded operating theatre and renovated male surgical ward, as well as the handover of an ambulance at the St. Ann’s Bay Regional Hospital on October 6, Mr. Holness said he is urging the country to join hands with Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton’s Jamaica Moves campaign, adding that it is a genuine recipe for a longer and healthier life.

“The Minister is now famous as a Jamaica Moves man.   It is an excellent programme and an excellent campaign to get Jamaicans moving,” the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said that as Jamaicans, “we almost have a perverse view of what is healthy,” adding that slowly “we need to change our view of health”.

“Things like fat, sugar, salt, alcohol, tobacco… smoking in general… we have to start looking at these things and the impact they have been having on our health,” Mr. Holness added.

The Prime Minister said he is calling on Jamaicans to get up in the mornings, or even in the evenings, and do at least 30 minutes of exercise.   It doesn’t have to be intense.   You can walk around, do some pushups or a little stretching.   We have to take our health into our own hands.   And it doesn’t matter your age… keep moving,” he urged.

The Jamaica Moves (#JaMoves) national campaign is an intense call to action for Jamaicans to become more active.   The campaign intends to promote, educate and develop programmes to get Jamaicans moving, both through traditional and non-traditional media.

“This initiative will focus on community-level interventions to facilitate increased physical activity among the population.   As part of this drive, we will be developing walking trails in each parish and organising and piggybacking on walking and running groups to increase social support and motivation for physical activity,” Minister Tufton said earlier this year.

Release: JIS