Nalini Saligram Starts “Women for a Healthy Future” Movement Aims to Take Action Against NCDs

Health advocate Nalini Saligram is involved with Women for a Healthy Future to prevent and raise awareness of NCDs worldwide.

Women for a Healthy Future is a movement aimed at gathering women to fight against Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) led by health advocate Nalini Saligram.

On September 19 and 20, the organisation Women for a Healthy Future is hoping to move the leaders gathered at the UN Summit by showing that NCDs are an issue which affects women. Their first activity, a petition, began on August 4 this year and has been gathering signatures ever since, mainly from women, and aims to encourage world leaders to ensure a healthy future for women and children. Ms Saligram told The Fresh Outlook that they are hoping to gather 6,514 additional signatures by September 20.

“Reaching out to women is important because women can advocate for change and ignite action against NCDs,” said Ms Saligram. “Women can make change in their own families, steering their own families towards healthier living, known to prevent many NCDs.”

Ms Saligram told us that Arogya World wanted to mark the UN summit on NCDs as a “pivotal point in the world’s global health journey”.

80% of cardiovascular disease and diabetes and 50% cancers can be prevented by people if they stop smoking, and increase their fitness and better their diets.

Arogya World is working with organisations such as NCD Child, World YWCA and Beyond Sport, the last of which is UK based.

Arogya World is a non profit organisation created to change the course of chronic diseases. In the Aryan language Sanskrit, Arogya means ‘good health’. Their approach is to advocate NCD prevention programmes by encouraging people in India to change their lifestyles.

Nalini Saligram is reaching out to women to sign the petition which can be signed at www.change.org

By Bethan Hâf Marsh

[Image courtesy of Truthout.org]