The First Lady Fazna Ahmed, on Monday, stated that in order to put our words into action, the whole government and society need to collaborate on promoting nutrition and healthy lifestyles among Maldivians. She made the remarks while speaking at the opening of the 'Roundtable consultation on nutrition and healthy lifestyle' at Meerumaa Hall.
The round table was coordinated by UNICEF in collaboration with the Maldives Food and Drug Authority, the Ministry of Education, the National Health Protection Agency, and non-governmental organisations. This is the second nutrition national round table consultation focusing on addressing overweight and obesity among children, adolescents and women in the country.
The objectives of the discussion included identifying and discussing trends, patterns, levels and drivers of malnutrition, introducing Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles flagship “Kaigen Hingamaa”, and establishing a collective impact platform to mobilise champions for nutrition.
The First Lady, while discussing her prior experience in the education sector, highlighted three initiatives by Thaajudheen School to promote healthy lifestyles at the school. These included a weekly exercise program aimed at the entire school, a four-year program called the ‘Milk and Exercise Program' held for a select group of students, and a programme encouraging the students to make healthy dietary choices. She noted that the latter is still ongoing in the school and it is expected that students continue a healthy lifestyle after graduating.
She pointed out that in addition to a healthy diet and regular exercise, one must prioritise mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Quoting UNICEF Resident Representative Dr Edward Addai, she asked every person to do at least one thing to look after their health “because if each of us does one thing can you imagine the cumulative effect in the whole world!”. She concluded her remarks with a quote from Pericles. "What you leave behind is not engraved in stone monuments, but it is woven in the life of others".
