KINGSTON, Jamaica – The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) hosted a comprehensive health fair on Monday, benefiting almost 500 employees at the agency.

The health fair, which was held at the NSWMA, Half-Way-Tree Road offices, offered services including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) tests, basic vision tests, cholesterol, blood sugar, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), height and weight checks, and fitness demonstrations.

Beyond physical health, the fair also addressed financial wellness, with Infiniti Co-operative Credit Union providing information on money management and access to loan opportunities.

Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, underscored the importance of such an initiative, emphasising that the agency sees its staff as more that “just machines picking up garbage” but as valued members of a family with diverse needs.

“So, everything is being incorporated in this grand affair that we are having today. And it is all part and parcel of our effort to love the family, to embrace the family, and to make sure that we provide all the necessary tools that the family needs to live a prosperous and healthy life,” Gordon said, pointing to the theme of the event, ‘Wellness Starts Here: A Stronger, Healthier NSWMA Family’.

He noted, too, that the event doubles as a stress reliever, crucial for NSWMA staff who work in a high-pressure environment daily.

“So, what we have here today is something that is great and very good for organisations such as this, where it’s a high-stress environment every day. So, we de-stress a little bit and do some things that help treat with the physical, natural man,” Gordon noted.

He added that while the NSWMA staff is the primary target for the health fair, passersby who were drawn in by the music flowing from the premises were allowed to have their health checks done.

Meanwhile, Corporate Services Director at the NSWMA, Sheenique Johnson, told JIS News that the fair is held annually for members of staff, and extends to the agency’s four regional offices – WPM Waste Management Limited, SPM Waste Management Limited, NEPM Waste Management Limited and MPM Waste Management Limited.

The event was a part of a broader series of health fairs, and similar events that will run until July.

“Two weeks ago, we had the health fair in the WPM regional office, and we’re having that at NSWMA now, and between now to July, we’ll be having it in all the regional companies,” Johnson said, adding that at the end of the health fair series, approximately 4,000 staff members will benefit from the offerings.

Monday’s health fair was well received by NSWMA staff members, who took full advantage of the multiple services on offer.

“All-in-all I had fun. I benefited from the aerobics session; I even won one-month free membership. I felt energised after the session… .  It was a good fair,” one employee said.

Another employee shared similar sentiments saying, “The health fair was actually great. I haven’t done blood pressure and tested my eyes in a long time. It was good for me along with the aerobics exercise, I enjoyed that, and I even signed up for another credit union even though I have two already, so I guess it was contagious. I enjoyed it.”

–         JIS