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The Director of Mbeya Zonal Referral Hospital, Dr Godlove Mbwanji, has urged citizens to make regular physical exercise part of their daily lives as a key measure to prevent non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which continue to increase healthcare costs in the country.
Dr Mbwanji made the call during the hospital’s annual staff sports festival held over the weekend, which brought together more than 1,200 employees.
The event aims to strengthen teamwork among healthcare workers while promoting healthy lifestyles and encouraging the wider community to embrace physical activity.
He said sports and exercise play an important role in improving both physical and mental health, while also strengthening cooperation and relationships among employees, factors that contribute to better healthcare services for citizens.
“Our goal is to bring staff together so they can know each other better, cooperate and maintain good health. When healthcare workers are healthy and work well together, they are in a better position to provide quality services to citizens,” Dr Mbwanji said.
He added that the event also provided an opportunity for members of the public to receive free health screenings, including checks for blood pressure, diabetes and heart-related conditions, as part of efforts to raise awareness on preventing NCDs.
According to Dr Mbwanji, the growing burden of non-communicable diseases has continued to increase medical expenses for the government, health insurance providers and citizens.
He explained that many NCDs are linked to lifestyle factors, including lack of physical activity, unhealthy diets and other behaviours that negatively affect health.
“Exercise is an important part of preventing non-communicable diseases. We encourage citizens to develop a habit of exercising regularly to protect their health and reduce treatment costs,” he said.
A staff member from the hospital’s Paediatric Department, Happy Minja, said the sports festival has helped strengthen unity among employees, created opportunities for interaction and improved their health through physical activities.
Gloria Ayub, another hospital employee, said sports have become an important tool for improving workers’ health and strengthening teamwork, which ultimately contributes to better services for patients.
