More than 300 congregants benefit from ‘Gospel-cise’

MORE THAN 300 Jamaicans from faith-based organisations across the island benefited from the recently concluded ‘Gospel-cise’ Initiative, a partnership with the Ministry of Health & Wellness’s Jamaica Moves Programme, Jenny Jenny Production and Myers Fitness. The initiative exposed participants to a blend of faith, physical activity, and health education in keeping with the Community agenda of Jamaica Moves. Jamaica Moves in communities seeks to, among other things, promote healthier lifestyle practices utilizing community-based organizations to combat non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Held over a three-month period, the Gospel-cise series visited churches and communities across the country and featured mass workout sessions with gospel music led by certified fitness instructors; health education booths, offering nutrition tips and fitness demonstrations and practical tools to inspire sustained healthy living, including the use of the Physical Activity Bible.

“This initiative highlights the Ministry’s commitment to addressing Jamaica’s high prevalence of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension through the community arm of the Jamaica Moves programme. These efforts strengthen the overarching mission of Jamaica Moves – to inspire Jamaicans to prioritize physical activity, healthy eating, and regular health checks for a more active, vibrant, and sustainable lifestyle,” noted Director of Health Promotion & Education,Miss Takese Foga.

Participating churches included Denbigh Seventh-day Adventist, St Richard’s of Chichester Roman Catholic, Word of Faith, Agape Christian Fellowship, Word of Hope Seventh-day Adventist, Fellowship Tabernacle, Power of Faith Ministry, and First Assembly of God Trelawny.

Jamaica Moves is part of the country’s coordinated national response to the increased incidences of NCDs. The programme is designed to educate, engage and build supportive environments, with the goal of reducing NCDs by 25 per cent by the year 2025.