Minister for Health Michelle O'Neill starts countdown to Men's Health Week in Ireland
We’re nearly there. The clock is ticking. It won’t be long now until International Men's Health Week 2016. Indeed,as Euro 2016 gets underway, the 'poster boys' for MHW this year are Michael O'Neill and Martin O'Neill (National Football Managers).
To kickstart the final countdown to Men's Health Week (MHW) in Ireland, Minister for Health Michelle O'Neill invited members of the MHW 2016 all-island Planning Group to Stormont. Simon Harris, Minister for Health in the Republic of Ireland, did likewise at Government Buildings in Dublin. Both Ministers welcomed the celebration of MHW in Ireland, praised the practical support that their respective health services had offered, and wished everyone well with the roll-out of the week.
Men's Health Week always begins on the Monday before Father's Day and ends on Father's Day itself. During 2016, it will run from Monday 13th until Sunday 19th June.
It is celebrated in most European countries, as well as in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and a number of other places worldwide. The overall aims of MHW are to:
- Heighten awareness of preventable health problems for males of all ages.
- Support men and boys to engage in healthier lifestyle choices / activities.
- Encourage the early detection and treatment of health difficulties in males.
Each year, there is also a focus upon a specific theme. The theme for 2016 in Ireland is: 'Men United - for Health and Wellbeing' and the key question that we'll be asking is 'are we winning?' If the answer is ‘no’, then it’s time to join with other people to do something positive and practical about it!
There is certainly a need to do this, as men, in Ireland, experience a disproportionate burden of ill-health and die too young ...
- Local men die, on average, four and a half years younger than women do.
- Males have higher death rates than women for all of the leading causes of death.
- Poor lifestyles are responsible for a high proportion of chronic diseases.
- Late presentation to health services leads to a large number of problems becoming untreatable ...
Indeed, while many of these conditions are preventable, their prevalence among men may, in fact, rise in the future. But this is not a lost cause. There is plenty that can be done to change this situation!
To find out more about MHW 2016 and how you can support it / get involved, visit: www.mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2016.htm
