Latest update November 21st, 2024 1:00 AM
GWI embraces revolution for better health
Joining what was described as “the revolution for better health in Guyana” the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) was the newest entity to embrace the Ministry of Health’s Workplace Wellness Programme.
At a simple ceremony, yesterday, at GWI’s Vlissengen Road Shelter Belt headquarters Health Minister, Dr. Leslie Ramsammy, welcomed the entity on board even as he pointed out that “workplaces likes GWI will help to make this a revolution…(where people can) love life, stay healthy and live long…”
Acting Chief Executive Officer of GWI, Ramchand Jailall, GWI considers employees’ wellness as an extremely high priority thus measures have been put in place to join forces with the Health Ministry. He made reference to the fact that employees’ with more risk factors including being overweight, poor lifestyle habits, those with sicknesses such as diabetes and hypertension are known to pay more for health care than individuals with less risk factors.
He said that GWI is collaborating with the Ministry “and we are commending them for recognizing the overwhelming truth of the impacts of poor health in the workplace of a country.”
Minister Ramsammy and other officials as he welcomes GWI aboard the “better health revolution” movement.
He said, too, that the Ministry has not only acted decisively, aggressively and effectively to implement the Workplace Wellness Programme but it has also acted in a way that is unequalled even in the developed countries of the world.
He alluded to fact that the Ministry is offering the very important programme which caters to employees’ wellbeing at no cost, a feat which is rarely obtained in countries around the world.
“It is worth mentioning that the Ministry has developed in excess of 60 programmes nationwide with other organizations and Ministries and aside from helping to improve the health of already at risk employees the programme will also have a huge impact on healthy individuals by raising awareness so that employees with few risk factors will remain a low at-risk group.”
Jailall added that as GWI strives for continuous improvement in its overall services, staffers will be able to be more efficient, a trend which will not remain unique to GWI but all organizations that sign unto the Wellness programme. He noted that even with the help of the Health Ministry the onus still remains on employers to ensure that the programme is fully implemented and yields the desired results.
The programme, Jailall anticipates, will play a key role in employees’ relationships and moral and will assist in helping them to strive to become a motivated workforce, all of which are seen as vitally important to a company that is continuously developing.
He further underscored that there are risks that a company could face without such a strategic programme in place, adding that the benefits could however outweigh the risks if the programme is successfully implemented.
“One of the benefits is the reduction of absenteeism…statistics have shown that with the implementation of such programmes some organizations see reduction of about nine per cent (absenteeism) over a relatively short period (about one year),” he added.
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