Awards support initiatives to combat NCDs [1]
Thursday, November 15, 2018 - 20:49
Grant and sponsorship funding was awarded today by TongaHealth Promotion Foundation to support healthy living initiatives to strengthen, prevent and control Non Communicable Diseases (NCD's) in Tonga.
NCDs have reached a critical level in Tonga, stated TongaHealth, the secretariat of a National NCD Committee and National NCD prevention strategy.
"With an increasing number of Tongans being affected by heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and smoke related illnesses, Tonga Health was established to combat this burden of disease and promote healthy lifestyle changes throughout Tonga."
Awards up tp $10,000 were made to NGO partners under a grant and sponsorship program. These included the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Internal Affairs (Kau mai Tonga and Fiefia Sports), Ministry of Agriculture, Kiko Penitani, ICON Creation, Mai e 5, Fisheries Department and Civil Society Breakthrough Nation.
Awards with a maximum $2,000 pa'anga were made to Ma’a Fafine mo e Famili, Maui Fusi Fonua sports, Pharmacy Staff Association, National Diabetes Committee, Malapo Tag, Tonga High School Sports, Tupou Tertiary Sports, Mr Tonga, Kolomaile (‘Eua), Ha’apai High School, Taufa’ahau Pilolevu College, Foefoelua ‘o Ha’apai Veu, Inclusive Education, Ministry of Health Nurses Fun Run & Walk and SDA Lose and Live.
"It is hoped that through multi-sectorial partnerships, Tonga Health will effectively demonstrate that teamwork is a powerful way to strengthen NCD prevention and control," Tonga Health stated.
Healthy activities
Joshua Savieti of ICON Creative said they received $10,000 grant for their Zumba Project.
“We will create six 30-minute Zumba instructional videos that will be aired throughout a series of about three months on TV, and people can learn the routine and they can do it from the comfort of their homes,” he said.
ICON will also film and create 16-minute videos to be put on DVDs aimed for workplaces as well as short video snippets loaded on to their social network page to get more people involved in their routines.
Meanahwhile, Breakthrough Nation representative, Talaiasi Nau, said their funding will go towards an exercise program for churches in communities, from the Free Wesleyan Church, Church of Tonga to LDS, Catholic Church and Pentecostal.
"We plan to run the program for 10-weeks at each church. Our aim is for each church to include this exercise program as part of their regular activities, such as choir practice. We aim for each church to select an exercise instructor and continue with the exercise activities from January to December."
He said if the church embraces this program, it will assist the Tongan Government and partners in this initiative.
TongaHealth's main donors are the Government of Australia through DFAT and Government of Tonga.