Towards a healthier society:

[The Wellness Centre]

The Problem:

From a medical point of view, Caribbean people live in modern western societies. That means our main causes of ill health and mortality are chronic, preventable, 'lifestyle' diseases that are difficult to control and expensive to treat.

Lifestyle diseases are caused by sedentariness, poor nutrition, obesity, unfitness, smoking, stress, accidents, alcohol and late detection of curable conditions.

Lifestyle diseases are costing the region - and the private sector, in particular - enormous sums in low productivity, as well as in medical care and loss of life.

There are no "medical" solutions to these problems. "Annual check-ups" and other medical assessments merely indicate physical health status in terms of disease, while health insurance plans simply pay for medical care. None of these measures serve to reduce the demand for - or the cost of - medical care. Indeed, they probably serve to increase it, thus adding to overall health-related costs and productivity losses.

There are going to be more and more health insurance plans in this region, and quite likely, national health insurance schemes. As has been the case in the USA, health-related costs are destined to keep on rising in the foreseeable future. What can be done about this?

The Solution:

Healthy employees cost less money! The health of employees must be improved to reduce the demand for medical care and to increase productivity and morale. That means reducing the level of health risks among employees. In a modern Western society, there is no other meaningful way to improve health.

A healthier lifestyle is the goal. The introduction of Corporate Wellness Programmes is the way to achieve that goal. Just as better management of a corporation's finances will lead to bigger profits, better management of a corporation's social, physical and mental health will lead to increased productivity and reduced costs.