Health ministry calls on corporate Jamaica to ‘Mek a Move’

With the beat of island rhythms and a bold call to action, the Ministry of Health & Wellness officially launched the Corporate Wellness Challenge 2.0 – “8x8 Edition” on Thursday, June 19, 2025, at the Edward Seaga Suite, Devon House East Lawn in Kingston. The high-energy kickoff introduced a dynamic programme aimed at transforming workplace culture across Jamaica encouraging companies to prioritise employee wellness and invest in healthier lifestyles.

The 8x8 Challenge invites participating organisations to engage in eight months of wellness-focused activities, covering areas such as physical activity, nutrition, health screenings, smoking cessation, mental health, and sexual health education. With the workplace forming a significant part of people’s daily lives, the initiative seeks to turn offices into spaces of movement, motivation, and meaningful change.

Delivering the keynote address, Minister of Health & Wellness, Dr Christopher Tufton, underscored the urgent need for action in light of Jamaica’s non-communicable disease (NCD) crisis.

“NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and cancer are robbing us of our people, our productivity, and our potential,” the Minister said. “In 2020, nearly 17,000 Jamaicans died from NCDs, accounting for almost eight out of every 10 deaths. This Corporate Wellness Challenge is a proactive solution that brings health into the everyday rhythm of work life.”

TWO NEW COMPONENTS

As part of the expanded push, Minister Tufton announced two newly proposed components for companies to integrate into the challenge:

• “Sneaker Day” – A weekly day when staff wear running or walking shoes to work to encourage light, frequent physical activity throughout the day.

• “Sole-2-Sole Giving” – Inspired by his earlier charitable initiative of the same name, the minister is challenging companies to donate walking or running shoes to under-resourced children or institutions, making wellness more accessible to all.

The Minister noted that these simple yet powerful additions aim to deepen the culture of wellness, not just within companies, but across communities.

Several leading companies have already registered for the challenge, including Sagicor Life Jamaica, Massy Gas Products, National Housing Trust, and Seprod, with more expected to come on board as momentum builds.

Participants will have opportunities to earn points, gain national recognition, and most importantly, foster a work environment that supports staff health, engagement, and resilience.

“This challenge is more than a competition, it’s a movement. A movement to mek a move, mek a difference, and mek wellness the norm in Jamaican business,” the minister declared.

The ministry is encouraging companies across Jamaica to register and be a part of this transformative journey toward a healthier workforce and nation.