By Sumaila Ogbaje

Mrs Oghogho Musa, the President, Defence and Police Officers Wives Association (DEPOWA), has stressed the need for regular health talk and physical exercises for women.

She also advised women in barracks to take charge of their health through regular medical check ups.

Musa gave the advice during the monthly DEPOWA Aerobics with the theme “Walk for Health” at the NDC Base Camp, Ushafa in Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday.

She said the event was organised to encourage women to be active and live a healthy life.

She urged the women to make the walk their daily routine or at least four times a week with 10,000 steps daily.

She said “we must take charge of our health and I believe we have learnt one or two things.

“Today, like the doctor just informed us, some people have high Blood Pressure (BP) and blood sugar and with this exercise, we are able to identify those people and extra care will be taken.

“For those that are already on medication, please stick to your drugs, visit your doctors and make sure you do all that you have been advised to do.

“We have doctors around us, we have nurses too, we have people that are knowledgeable about these things and we need to please ask questions, talk to people and open up because a problem shared is half solved.”

Earlier in a health talk, Dr Promise Ogar from Army Command and NAOWA Hospital, Abuja, said there are certain diseases that simple lifestyle like physical exercises help to protect against.

Ogar identified such illnesses to include hypertension, diabetes and some cancers, and defined hypertension as an elevated blood pressure higher than 140 over 90.

She urged the women to take responsibility by modifying their lifestyle and ensuring regular checkups.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu