Road Town, Tortola -  The Ministry of Health and Social Development is seeking to attract strong participation in a Territory-wide Health Minister’s Heart Healthy Walk in recognition of this year’s World Health Day.

The walk is scheduled for Saturday, April 10. Minister of Health and Social Development Honourable Dancia Penn, OBE, QC said, “We wish to mobilise as many schools, non-government organisations, territorial, work and church organisations as possible.”

Participants on Tortola are asked to gather at the Central Administration Building at 4:30 a.m. on April 10 for a prompt start at 5 a.m. The route is from the Central Administration Building to the Valerie O. Thomas Community Centre is Sea Cow’s Bay and back.

Meantime, participants on Anegada will walk from the Fire Station to the Botanic Garden and back, commencing at 5 a.m.; participants on Virgin Gorda will walk from the Virgin Gorda Yacht Harbour around the Valley and back commencing at 5 a.m.; while at North Sound (Virgin Gorda) the walk will start 5:30 a.m. from the Bond Area heading past Gorda Peak to the Look-Out and back to the Bond Area.

Participants on Jost Van Dyke will walk from the Health Centre at Great Harbour to Maddock Junction and back, commencing at 5:30 a.m.

Prizes will be awarded to the organisations with the most participants in different categories, which include faith-based organisations, service-based organisations, island/country associations, schools, and workplaces. Each group is asked to contact the ministry’s office for registration forms, which must be completed and returned by April 9.

This year’s World Health Day will focus on urbanization and health. With the campaign "1000 cities - 1000 lives", worldwide events will be organised calling on cities and communities to open up streets for health activities. Stories of urban health champions will also be gathered to illustrate what people are doing to improve health in their respective communities around the world.

World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 each year, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). In 1948, at the First World Health Assembly, a decision was taken to celebrate April 7 every year as World Health Day, with effect from 1950.