Once the lockdown is over and we beat the horrid virus, we are going to wake up nations from weeks of slumber to get them moving back to routines. While we shake ourselves up to return to pre-lockdown days, we will be faced with another very large problem that many of us have lost focus off – an epidemic that existed before this pandemic and has now surely got worse…
For centuries, the major threats to the health of all mankind have been the onslaught of epidemics, natural disasters and physical injuries [when people went to war]. In today’s modern world however, we are faced with an epidemic that would have the largest impact on humankind in all of history (NO! I’m not referring to the Corona Virus) I’m referring to “Non-Communicable Diseases” (NCD’s), like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, respiratory & kidney diseases. The Corona Virus has just further aggravated this problem. After over a month of lockdowns, where families have been restricted to live within just the four walls of their homes, there will be billions of people across numerous countries who have been forced to live sedentary lives for weeks together. People are going to wake up to lower metabolic rates, excessive weight issues, poor systemic functioning etc due to a lack of physical exercise.
For centuries, the major threats to the health of all mankind have been the onslaught of epidemics, natural disasters and physical injuries [when people went to war]. In today’s modern world however, we are faced with an epidemic that would have the largest impact on humankind in all of history (NO! I’m not referring to the Corona Virus) I’m referring to “Non-Communicable Diseases” (NCD’s), like diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular, respiratory & kidney diseases. The Corona Virus has just further aggravated this problem. After over a month of lockdowns, where families have been restricted to live within just the four walls of their homes, there will be billions of people across numerous countries who have been forced to live sedentary lives for weeks together. People are going to wake up to lower metabolic rates, excessive weight issues, poor systemic functioning etc due to a lack of physical exercise.
Let's bring the gyms free of cost to the people, in their neighbourhood, instead of hoping for them to go out to far off places and and having to pay for its use... ESPECIALLY AT A TIME LIKE THIS
An interesting debate: According to The International Sport and Culture Association (ISCA) it is estimated that physical inactivity costs Europe over €80 billion per year. Could this money be saved if governments invested more in sports facilities, outdoor gyms, green spaces etc? Or should it be up to individuals to keep themselves fit & healthy? Who should pay & be responsible for healthcare costs if you as an individual don’t exercise and keep fit?
India merely allocates a little over 1 per cent of its GDP to public health despite an increase in health expenditure since 2009, according to the latest National Health Profile (NHP) data (in comparison the US spends close to 18 per cent of its GDP). I’m not going to get into a debate as to why we have such a low budget but what I will look at is how can we use this meagre budget more effectively?
Let me ask this question of you. Is it better and cheaper to prevent a health issue from occurring? or should we simply focus on curative measures when the problem does occur ? “PREVENTION is always better and cheaper than CURE” right? So this means if we can prevent diseases from happening we will have a far more efficient and cheaper solution towards health care in the future – no matter which country we are in. The benefits of building these #outdoorgyms are far reaching besides also helping in the much required general immunity building – undoubtedly, the need of the hour.
So now the question is can we do it? The answer is YES WE CAN! In my opinion every government must focus on establishing outdoor sports and fitness facilities that are available easily to the public free of cost in every neighbourhood park or community.
Furthermore we must engage with the public (by conducting fitness camps) to encourage them to go and use these facilities regularly. While it is the government’s duty to provide their citizens with such facilities it is also every individual’s responsibility to look after him or herself by using such facilities to keep fit and healthy. Together, the health of a nation is a collective responsibility indeed!
To help combat this epidemic we at KOOCHIE GLOBAL have set up a #specialtaskforce team and have also launched #TheKooFitRevolution, an initiative that will work closely with many government institutions / ministries across the country, where all consultation, expertise and design shall be provided free of cost to help establish scientifically engineered, easy & free access, holistic, health, fitness & sports parks for the public.
KOOCHIE as a brand has already installed our outdoor fitness gyms across over 600 public parks in India and Bhutan and these gyms are available free of cost to the Aam Junta.
For more information and to partner with our initiative “TheKooFitRevolution” kindly connect with us at tkfr@koochieglobal.com
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