Remarks
Minister of Health and Social Development Honourable Dancia Penn, OBE, QC Project Lifestyle Health Month
Opening Ceremony
Friday, 7 November, 2008
Central Administration Building
10 a.m.

~~Adz:Right~~ Roadtown, Tortola - Good morning, it is so good to see so many of you here today. 

I would like to thank the Ministry of Education and Culture for its efforts to help bring more awareness to students and their parents on health issues and I am delighted to have the opportunity to share in this, the official Opening Ceremony for Health Month. 

The Ministry of Education’s Health Month is an activity of Project Lifestyle and this year’s theme which is “YOUR BODY, YOUR LIFE: MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE” captures a basic fact.  The slogan also speaks to an important truth: “BE AWARE, CHOOSE WITH CARE THE CONSEQUENCES, THE CONSEQUENCES ARE VERY CLEAR”.

The challenges in health today among persons of school age are changing and the more common diseases among the group appear to be due to primarily lifestyle primarily.  Some of these arise from substance abuse (alcohol and drugs), obesity, violence, accidents and sexual habits. 

Of these well known is HIV/AIDS, but there are also several other sexual transmitted diseases (STDs).   There is also teenage pregnancy.  While this is not a disease, becoming pregnant as a teenager can have a major impact on a person.

From observation and screening there are more and more children in school presenting with the biological and behavioral risk factors for chronic non-communicable diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. 

To be able to successfully tackle these problems, the Ministries of Education and Health will need to work more closely together.  We will have to strengthen partnerships and activities, as these are matters which cut across and transcend everything including constitutional remits. 

According to the World Health Organization, Education and Health are the two most important resources to enable us to live fulfilling and productive lives. 

The link between education and health is well established.  It is a known fact that the health status of a child, whether physical, mental or emotional health, impacts on his or her learning.  We also know that education is a key prerequisite for health.

Over the years school health research has shown a strong correlation between years of schooling and maternal and child health.  In addition, early school leaving is also linked with risk behaviors such as smoking, obesity, and chronic disease in adulthood.

There are also studies that show that high levels of education are associated with better employment, and security of employment healthier life styles and high level of family and community wellbeing. 

Healthy children learn well and only if they are healthy will our students be able to take full advantage of every opportunity to learn and to become contributing members to our territory.

The Ministry of Health is committed to forging a stronger partnership with the Ministry of Education to help ensure that our schools become more health promoting schools. 

Jack Jones of the Department of Health Promotion School, World Health Organization says, that the health promoting school creates health by enabling young people to care for themselves and for others, to make decisions and have control over their health and life circumstances by ensuring that the communities they live in will foster the achievement of health by more of its members.

All of our schools in BVI shall be Health Promoting Schools, and the hosting of its Health Month is an important step in helping to ensure that our schools are health promoting.

I would like to return to the theme for this Health Month, and stress that life is about choices.  Each of us has to make them – sometimes they are big choices; sometimes they are little choices.  But each of the choices is important and can form what future you have.

Since this is the first time I am speaking to a group of young people since the historic election of Barack Obama as President of the United States on Tuesday.  I want to make specific mention of him.

Barack is a true role model and a person from whose life we can all learn lessons.   One important lesson is that you can become whatever you want to be.

He grew up without a father in fact he only met his father once in his life when he was 10 years old, his mother at one stage had to go on food stamps to support him.   But see what he has become. And Barrack is into fitness.  He exercises a lot. 

Even on the campaign trail he took time to workout, and he still plays basketball.  In fact I heard on the news this morning that there will be a basketball ring in the White House.

So make choices good choices: Eat right, weigh right, exercise. Remember a Healthy nature is a wealthy life!

Thank you.