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Entities recognised for Health and Wellness contributions
The 2016 GBCHA awardees
Designed to recognise some of the unique contributions made by the business community towards health and wellness, the Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness (GBCHA) held its Annual Awards for Business Excellence last Friday at the Pegasus Hotel. The Awards Ceremony is organized by GBCHA annually to highlight local organisations’ efforts at promoting health and wellness.
Seven individual and company awards were presented in four categories for issues ranging from HIV prevention to Autism awareness. Other health awareness efforts were also focused on Cancer, which has been found to be a leading cause of death.
Republic Bank (Guyana) Ltd copped the Awards for Advocacy and Leadership and Workplace Programme. And it was Amanda Edmondson of Republic Bank who won in the Peer Educator category with Petula Albert of Scotiabank receiving honourable mention.
Scotiabank won in the Community Investment Category while Massy Gas Products received honourable mention.
Awards were presented by Minister of Public Health Dr. George Norton; Minister of Social Protection, Ms. Volda Lawrence; Minister of Business, Mr. Dominic Gaskin; Director of the National AIDS Programme Secretariat, Dr. Shanti Singh; Representative of PAHO/WHO, Karen Roberts, and UNAIDS Representative, Dr. Martin Odiit.
“The recognition of successful initiatives not only highlights the entities which are honoured, but raises awareness of the issues which were addressed. The Awards for Business Excellence offer an opportunity for sharing lessons learnt and encourage the formation of new initiatives,” said GBCHA Chairperson, Donna Roberts-Benjamin, during her opening remarks.
Minister Norton, in a feature address delivered at the event, commended the Guyana Business Coalition for hosting the event and underscored the importance of greater involvement from civil society to address the challenges in the health sector.
Qualfon’s Shaun Prince and GBCHA Chairperson Donna Roberts-Benjamin
The Minister during his address also highlighted that one of the challenges that should be given keen attention is that of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs).
A non-communicable disease (NCD) is a medical condition or disease that is non-infectious or non-transmissible. NCDs can also be referred to as chronic diseases which last for long periods of time and progress slowly.
According to WHO, NCDs kill 38 million people each year and almost three quarters of NCD deaths – 28 million – occur in low- and middle-income countries.
Another fact that has been highlighted by WHO is that 16 million NCD deaths occur before the age of 70.
Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or 17.5 million people annually, followed by cancers (8.2 million), respiratory diseases (4 million), and diabetes (1.5 million).
These four groups of diseases account for 82 per cent of all NCD deaths.
Tobacco use, physical inactivity, the harmful use of alcohol and unhealthy diets, all increase the risk of dying from an NCD.
Meanwhile, Roberts in presenting remarks on behalf of PAHO/WHO, congratulated the GBCHA for being the only organization in Guyana which has worked to mobilize the business sector to improve health. She moreover encouraged organizations to make the health of their employees a priority, and added that “increasing investments in health programmes benefits employers by lowering absenteeism and health care costs.”
Sponsors for the Awards for Business Excellence included Rudisa Motor Company (Guyana) Inc, Kissoon’s Furniture Complex, NAMILCO, COURTS and Continental Group of Companies.
Guyana Business Coalition on Health Awareness works with its members and other partners to increase health literacy and promote positive behaviour change.
Another highlight of the Awards Event was the formal welcome of Qualfon Guyana Inc. as the newest member of GBCHA. Chairperson of the Coalition Roberts-Benjamin officially welcomed the company on board, represented by Shaun Prince, Senior Human Development Manager.
GBCHA (formerly Guyana Business Coalition on HIV and AIDS) was established in 2008, but sought to redefine its focus to pay attention to other aspects of health promotion.
Since June 2010, the not for profit entity has had Suzanne French as its Executive Director.
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