When COVID-19 hit the Fijian shores, a lot of people were lost and did not know what to do, says Iliapi Tuwai.
And one of the most important lessons the global pandemic taught people was to be conscientious of what they eat as this would determine their health and wellbeing.
Mr Tuwai, the country director for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Fiji noted this at the closing of the recent Live More Abundantly (LMA) training session in Lautoka attended by community health workers and nurses.
“One of the most important things we need to consider is the food we eat daily, unfortunately, a lot of people are not in tune with what is happening around the world now,” he said.
“I see COVID-19 as a huge lesson to people as it is about time they consider what they put inside their mouth to determine a better life.
“COVID-19 is just like NCDs and the main lessons from such pandemic are for people to change the way they treat their diet if they hope to live a longer, healthy life.”
Mr Tuwai said community health workers played a pivotal role in ensuring people in their communities acquired knowledge of maintaining a healthy life through consuming healthy diet.
“My plea to you is to take up this challenge so you will save a life, a foot or a toe if you share this knowledge.
“If you are not going to do this, will there be an improvement in your community?
“A lot of people are dying early and are dying from NCDs and they are not controlling what they eat and they do not realise what they put inside their mouth will determine their lives.”
