Men’s Health event a success
Simon Kekana, project co-ordinator of Mamelodi Men’s Forum says men don’t take care of their health. The event is about how men should be health-wise.
A local ward councillor was impressed with the turnout of men from Mamelodi who attended the Men’s Health event over the weekend.
The event was organised by the Mamelodi Men’s Forum and held at the Moretele Park resort, Mamelodi West on Saturday.
“This initiative should not be a one-day programme. It should be held continuously,” said councillor Diamond Mashao.
“Some of the men who attended were scared in the beginning but there was a lot of support from each other.”
According to Mashao, most men are always angry because of their health status or personal issues but with such forums, men start talking and engage a lot.
Simon Kekana, project co-ordinator of the Mamelodi Men’s Forum, said men don’t take care of their health.
He said the event was about how men should be health-wise.
“We called them together to get tested for cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, kidneys, HIV/Aids and health talks,” said Kekana.
“Men tend to sit at home with ailing bodies not knowing what is happening with their health. They wait for the day they get sick and when they go to the hospital, it’s already too late,” he said.
The talks touched on the health risks men may face if they don’t take care of their health, prevention, symptoms to look out for, and where to get medical assistance.
“The Mamelodi Men’s Forum was formed in 2015 because we wanted men to get involved in solving the problems we are facing in Mamelodi,” he added.
The forum aims to encourage Mamelodi to take a stand and look after men in Mamelodi in all the issues they are facing daily such as gender-based violence (GBV), environmental care, crime and projects like Men Must Speak.
“We want young men to get involved or join the forum because the older generation never had the opportunity to have a Men’s Health event. The youth, especially young men now have the opportunity to do that before it’s too late and have a chance to make Mamelodi a better place,” Kekana said.
Mamelodi stakeholders who attended were Dr Naing Soe, CEO of Mamelodi regional hospital, Floyd Mtshweni from the Right to Care organisation, Kabelo Ramasehla (a dietician), Dra Phalafala for Prostate Cancer.
Kekana concluded by inviting all Mamelodi men and other Mamelodi stakeholders to join the forum.
They lit candles for the victims of GBV, relationships and in memory of people who lost their lives to Aids and their families.
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