Z’bar First Lady urges people to overcome Iatrophobia
ZANZIBAR: THE ‘Maryam Mwinyi Walkathon,’ and ‘Afya bora- Maisha Bora’ nationwide campaign, was launched here on Monday with a call on members of the public to overcome fear of seeing medical doctors.
The call was made by the Zanzibar First Lady Maryam Mwinyi – who doubles as the chairperson of the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation (ZMBF).
She said there were people suffer from excessive anxiety of seeing doctors, referred to as Iatrophobia, causing them to seek for medical check-up and treatment when it is already too late.
The Iatrophobia is an extreme and overwhelming fear of doctors, medical tests and medical care.
Although many people feel some anxiety or fear before visiting the doctor or undergoing medical tests, someone with latrophobia will experience fear, anxiety or panic that is intense, irrational and overwhelming.
“Please, I urge all people to have regular health checks accompanied by frequent body exercise and eating healthy to avoid complications, mainly Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs),” said Mama Maryam Mwinyi at the launch of Walkathon, and Afya Bora- Maisha Bora campaign held at the Kizimbani-Dole grounds, Unguja West A district.
Maryam Mwinyi and other leaders led a four-kilometre walk ending at the grounds where a three-day health check exercise was also launched to enable people in the district to go for medical examination to understand their health status.
Maryam Mwinyi explained that the body check-up camp organized by her ZMBF in collaboration with AfyaCheck organization of Dar es Salaam is an opportunity for people to check their health for treatment and observe health precautions.
She thanked development partners for supporting the ‘Walkathon, and ‘Afya bora-Maisha bora,’ campaign which aims to support Zanzibar government’s efforts to improve health care delivery, “The camp will include provision of health education on health, and the similar exercise is planned to be conducted in each district at least once quarter year.
Deputy Minister of Health Mr Hassan Khamis Hafidh thanked the First Lady, ZMBF, and AfyaCheck for the camp and campaign which back government initiatives and help to reach more people to prevent diseases and have a healthy nation.
