The National Taxi Association (NTA) will hold its first walkathon for some 500 taxi drivers and their families on 25 September, Sunday. Graced by Minister for Health Mr Gan Kim Yong, the 3km walkathon from Gardens by the Bay to Marina Barrage and back, seeks to raise awareness on efforts that can be taken to prevent diabetes amongst taxi drivers.
According to the latest figures from the Renal Registry, it showed that about 1,730 people lost the use of their kidneys in 2015, up from 1,657 in 2013. The key reason was that Singaporeans are getting more obese and more are suffering from diabetes, which is the main cause of kidney failure if not kept in check.
Small Steps to Improve Health and Wellbeing of Taxi Drivers
Using traditional coffee or “kopi” as an example, Minister Gan Kim Yong will flag off the walkathon with a symbolic act of encouraging drivers to choose a healthier drink, e.g. kopi o kosong, by asking drivers to ask for lower sugar options when they order a beverage.
NTA Executive Adviser Mr Ang Hin Kee commented, “The job nature of taxi driving, coupled with the fact that most cabbies are in their 50s to 60s, make them more vulnerable to the threat of diabetes. On average, taxi drivers spend 10 to 12 hours seated in a taxi every day. We understand from many of them that they rarely consume water to reduce the need to visit the toilet. Instead, they satisfy their thirst by drinking coffee or “kopi”, which also energises them due to the high sugar content. Through the walkathon, we want to tell participants that they can improve their health and wellbeing by making small adjustments to their daily habits. One such small way is by drinking more water or reducing the amount of sugar intake through drinking coffee.”
Free Blood Test for NTA Members
As a follow up from the walkathon, NTA will be collaborating with the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) to conduct a free health screening which includes a blood test for diabetes, for all 21,000 NTA members. Members are encouraged to sign up for the health screening which will be conducted during NTA’s Annual Roadshow at the end of November.
Members Encouraged to Eat Well, Rest Well and Exercise More
Since 2014, NTA has identified three areas where more can be done to help taxi drivers manage their health and stress more effectively; i.e. proper and healthy diet, regular exercise and adequate rest. To this end, NTA has been organising regular sports and wellness activities to help taxi drivers stay physically fit and healthy.
One such programme was the NTA Step Up Challenge where members were given free fitness watches to track the number of steps that they take daily. NTA member, Tang Cheng Hang, 67, commented “Because of the challenge, I head to Balam Park Connector for a 30-minute brisk walk every day after my shift ends. Though the challenge is over, I try to maintain this routine as I get better sleep as a result, and I feel more energised during my night driving. I will continue to participate in other NTA health activities to keep the momentum going.”
NTA President Mr Raymond Ong, 57, concludes “As a taxi driver who is in my 50s, I realise the importance of ensuring that we keep ourselves active and healthy. We hope that fellow taxi drivers can join us in this journey of healthier living by participating in sports and wellness activities that we organise regularly, such as brisk walks, cycling and others to cater to the varied interests of our drivers.”
Going forward, NTA will continue to organise regular sports and wellness activities, to further augment on-going efforts to engage taxi drivers. Taxi drivers can find out more about the sports and wellness activities through www.nta.org.sg
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