Commemorative activities marking this year’s World Obesity Day on March 4 every year turned into a celebration on March 7, 2025 at the Baptist Center Nkwen, Bamenda with the launching of the Exercise for Health competition. CBC Executive President (EP), Rev. Dr. Teke John Ekema came out in full sports gear alongside the CBC Chairman, Mr. Kongor John together with other CBC Board Directors to officially launch the games under the watchful eyes of the representative of NW Regional Delegate of Public Health.
Launching the games, Rev. Dr. Teke John said even Scriptures prescribes sports when it uses the metaphor of running the race to win the eternal crown, of course, with fear and trembling. He joined other speakers to call for fair play during the games. Prior to the launching of the games, the number one sportsman of the CBC, the EP led in the sports walk from the Baptist Center through Nkwen Baptist Church to Finance Junction and back to the Baptist Center play ground to sensitize the public on the dangers of inactivity as a major cause of obesity.
Madam Nfor Claudette, focal point of TB who represented the NW Regional Delegate of Public Health saluted the CBC Health Services for her innovative spirit and collaboration with the Delegation of Health in providing quality healthcare to the population. She said physical activity is a key prevention mechanism for non communicable diseases including obesity. The regional delegate’s representative emphasized that the CBC Health Services’ initiative should be a call for continuous action.
For his part, the Chair of the Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) African Alliance, Mbidzenyuy Ferdinand said focus, henceforth, is on systems and governments than individuals to enact policies that can mitigate the free sale and distribution of sugary products, causing diabetes and leading to obesity. He announced an eminent meeting of Heads of State to discuss NCDs.
The Director of Health Services who was unavoidably absent, was ably represented by his Deputy in-charge of Administration and Finance (DDAF), Mr. Warri Denis who welcomed everyone to the event, especially the CBC chief executives, the EP and the Chairman who mobilized their collaborators to sit throughout the event. The DDAF pointed out that public health challenges are not only in the hospital but more in the community, thus, the need to carry the NCD messages to the community even through physical exercise. Speaking on the launching of the launching of the Exercise for Health Competition, the DDAF appealed for fair play throughout the Competition. “Our goal is exercise and not war,” Mr. Warri emphasized amidst applause.
Earlier in a brilliant presentation, the NCD champion and Program Manager, Mr. Takwe Boniface revealed some startling global statistics that left nobody indifferent; 800 million adults live with obesity, 400 million children are living with overweight and obesity and 1.9 billion people will be living with obesity by 2035 in the absence of adequate prevention measures. The situation is equally alarming at the level of the CBCHS. In 2024 alone, a total of 3.338 people were received and registered for obesity; 758 males and 2,580 females.
Obesity is the accumulation of fat in the body or some sections or organs that increase disease risk of an individual. It occurs in both children and adults and the longer someone lives with poorly controlled obesity, the greater the disease risk. This year’s commemoration on March 4 held under the theme, “Changing Systems, Healthier Lives”.
