To celebrate World Heart Day, this year celebrated on the 26th, the Healthy Heart group, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, organized a “Poco-Poco” dance competition in the Government Palace between the 23rd and the 26th.

The objective was to modify people’s behaviour, giving importance to the physical activity through gymnastic practice in the community, in this way increasing the influence towards a healthy way of life.

The Prime Minister congratulated the initiative regarding the “Poco-Poco”dance competition: “I appreciate the event since it aims at encouraging people to look after their health, as a way of preventing cardiac diseases in particular and to celebrate this day”. The Head of the Government showed interest in promoting the same initiative in the 13 districts.

The President of the Healthy Heart Foundation, Dr. Gede Saputra, pointed out that “the celebration, within the scope of prevention and reduction of the number of chronic diseases, had the participation of the governmental institutions, private sector and civil society. A Total of 46 groups participated in this event, each group with 31 elements”.

Dr. Saputra also mentioned that this challenge had the purpose to encourage, within the community, the will for practicing exercise to maintain a good health because “Healthy People, Strong Nation, for the benefit of the development”.

Of the 46 participants groups, the group from the Ministry of State Administration and Territorial Planning was qualified in first place, the group from the Timor-Leste National Police came second and in third place came the Guido Valadares National Hospital.