LAHORE: With the slogan of ‘creating wealth through healthy body and mind’, the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has started a new initiative aimed at raising awareness amongst its members about the diseases so that by following healthy lifestyle, they can be prevented from diseases and thus play their role in the growth of their businesses.

LCCI Executive Committee member Shamim Akhter, who is also chairperson of the Chamber Standing Committee on Health, is spearheading the programme under which seminars, discussions with experts of different diseases and other activities with heads of different health institutions are planned.

Talking to Business Recorder, Shamim Akhter said that wealth is created when we work to our true potential, which is possible through good mental and physical health. “Maintaining health is taking care of our body needs and preventing diseases, which is possible by following prevention model prevalent in developed countries,” she added.

Elaborating, she said that Covid-19 underscored a crucial aspect of public health; it is hard to be a healthy individual in an unhealthy society. Condition in which the people live, study, work and age as well as their access to health care is known as the social determinants of health, she opined.

Terming quality health as a policy issue and a business challenge, she said that societal health impacts businesses greatly, and businesses in turn have an influence on health determinants and outcomes. “Businesses may affect societal health determinants directly, such as by providing access to affordable housing or healthcare and by supporting charities and civil society organizations, or indirectly through lobbying for policies and regulations at local government, national or multinational levels,” she said.

She further said that the burden of disease is, in part, shaped by business impacts on the social determinants of health and access to healthcare for a wide range of stakeholders in society. She said, “We must need to focus for stopping health issues from arising by raising awareness among the people.”

Shamim added that good health also depends on several factors, including age, environment and personality. She said that the government should protect the people from diseases and play role for creation of a healthy society for which solid steps are required. “If we do not take immediate steps, we will be unable to meet the unsustainable costs driven by rising rates of illness,” she said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021