Civil servants in Ogun State need to inculcate the habit of regularly checking their health status so as to optimally contribute to the development of the State and avoid needless death.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olu. Ola. Aikulola made this known in Abeokuta during the Day Two of the "Know Your Health Status" programme organised by the Ministry for all its staffers.

Aikulola stated that doing regular check-up is not negotiable adding that engaging in regular check-up would help to avoid sicknesses and address health challenges early enough before such conditions snowballs into a more complex situation.

He noted that the Ministry has been organising the health check programme free of charge to " provide support to what Governor Dapo Abiodun is doing, encourage the people to know their health status, checking those vital signs, not whether they are HIV positive or not. There could be referrals and there could be counselling".

In her presentation titled, "Healthy Living" a Consultant Family Physician, Dr. (Mrs.) Yomibo Sofolahan said people need to regularly eat balanced diet, live in healthy environment, exercise regularly and avoid harmful habits like self medication stressing that engaging in such habits could result in untimely death and impotence.

She added that people also need to emphasize on prevention rather than cure and engage in regular medical checkup adding that hypertensive and diabetic patients should avoid harmful habits and indulge in positive dietary modification and regularly take their drugs even when there are improvement in their health condition.

Two participants at the event, Mrs. Bolanle Akinola and Mr. Ayodeji Ojo lauded the Ministry for organising the programme stating that the programme has been an eye opener that would help staffers make adjustments in their lifestyle.