Some 8,000 Orchard workers have reaped the benefits of new health programme since it was launched last October, said its organisers on Friday (March 23). Aimed to create a healthier workforce in the precinct, the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) collaborated with Health Promotion Board (HPB) to offer workers free health screenings, exercise sessions, cooking classes and wellness workshops for a year through 160 activities.
The programme, called as Work Great on a Great Street, is touted as the first precinct-wide health drive in Singapore. Besides Orba and HPB, the initiative is being held in partnership with several landlords and tenants in Orchard Road, Straits Times reports.
According to Orba, many of the programmes are specifically tailored for those who work in the retail and food services sector, as this sector is deemed to have high prevalence of mature workers and employees usually work shift hours and have unstructured work patterns. Everyone who works along the shopping belt can access free health screenings through the Singapore Medical Specialists Centre at Paragon shopping mall.
Orba chairman, Mark Shaw said, “Orba exists to champion the interests and welfare of businesses and stakeholders along Orchard Road, and helping our population keep fit and stay healthy is critical to our members’ success.”
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“We call on everyone who works and lives on Orchard Road to join in the activities. They have little excuse not to, as we have designed the activities to take place at their doorsteps at a time when they are off work,” he added.
Meanwhile, Mr Sim Beng Khoon, director for the HPB’s workplace health and outreach, said that Singaporeans tend to easily gain weights after entering the workforce owing to sedentary lifestyles and unhealthy diets, which then increases the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes.
He said, “Collaboration with partners like Orba, therefore, enable us to extend our health promotion programmes to more workers within a well-connected precinct, building supportive environments for both physical health and mental well-being as well as a tobacco-free lifestyle.”
On July 1 this year, Orchard Road will be smoke-free, with a ban on lighting up in public areas in the precinct. However, designated smoking areas will be provided in the area.
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