By Dedan Tumusiime
On the 29th of June, the Health Week commenced with a theme “Your Health, Your Choice”.
The Health Week, an event that is held every semester at Uganda Christian University (UCU) and run by the Directorate of UCU Medical Services in conjunction with the Guild Government, was held from June 29th to July 3rd. It was held at the Guild Square and provided free medical services such as HIV testing, eye testing, dental screening, and mental health care. Free Hepatitis B screening was also provided for medical students in their third, fourth and fifth years.
At the start of the week, during the Sunday service on June 29th, the day’s preacher, Dr. Eve Nakabembe, defined health as a state of physical, mental, spiritual, social, and economic well being and not merely the absence of disease.
She encouraged people to always prioritise their health, especially their social, physical, and spiritual health.
“You have to think about your physical health because your body is the temple of the Spirit of God; what you put in your body is extremely important,” she emphasized.
Dr. Nakabembe also encouraged people to give their social well-being attention since it also contributes to their mental health. “Don’t be so busy and think your social networks are meaningless; your social networks are important. Your social well-being is part of your health,” she explained, encouraging people to take care of their spiritual health by always praying to God for good health and peace of mind.
Mr. Benson Mwebesa from Smile Dental Store encouraged students and staff to receive free oral health tips from the services that were provided.
“Prevention is better than cure and we are here to screen and recommend the best dental care to both students and staff,” Mwebesa commented.
