By LITIA MATHEWSELL
Westpac Fiji will be staging their largest morning walk this Saturday at ten locations with over 2000 people having already registered around the country.
In Nadi, the walk will also be partnered with the Vodafone Bula Festival and see the inclusion of its Queen and Adi Senibua contestants at its Nadi morning walk in Namaka.
The Westpac Nadi morning walk begins at their Namaka branch 6:30am Saturday and includes free medical checkups.
At a press conference to mark the growing event, Westpac head of marketing Nirmala Nambiar said they adopted a theme of ‘Leading the Way for a Healthy Nation’.
President of the Nadi Bula Festival Charitable Trust Titilia Vuataki said it’s necessary to generate more awareness on the benefits of exercise.
This can help in combating non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which is a central focus of the walks.
Their participation is expected to boost the number of participants in Nadi as families of executive members and the Fiji Border Police have also come on board.
Other partners for the community programme include the Ministry of Health and Fiji Physiotherapy Association.
Association Nadi representative Kitiana Chute reiterated the importance of preventing NCDs and the high number of amputations in Fiji
“We usually get really bad cases of NCDs and there have been over 700 amputations from diabetes in the past three to five years,” she said.
“If we can prevent NCDs there won’t be a need for amputations as it is not just a physical change.
“We also have to take an emotional approach towards amputees that suddenly find themselves without limbs,’’ she noted.
Westpac Manager Sustainability Eseta Nadakuitavuki, (left), Bula Festival president Titilia Vuataki, Fiji Physiotherapy Association representative Kitiana Chute, and Assistant Superintendent Border Police Pita Keni during Westpac Morning walk press conference at Westpac Namaka branch in Nadi yesterday. Photo: WAISEA NASOKIA.