2024 Health Week
Health Week is a special mission observed annually at PCEA in October with the aim of raising awareness on living healthier lives.
This year, the focus is on alcoholism, a challenge that has affected our society profoundly. Almost every family has a person or persons who are struggling with Alcoholism.
The theme for Health Week is, “COMEBACK TO SENSES: FACING ALCOHOLISM.” It is derived from Luke 15: 17-18a. It is a call for each person to look within themselves and in the wider community to recognize the dire need for us to reach out and help the victims of Alcoholism. It is no longer helpful to blame them but we should see them as people who are ensnared and who need our help to be set free.
It is for this reason that throughout September and October, PCEA Health Board is conducting a campaign aimed at raising awareness and offering support to those struggling with alcoholism. Individuals and families will be educated about the dangers of excessive drinking and how they can provide resources for recovery.
In this campaign, the PCEA Health Board urges the church to first reflect on itself and its response. It is time for self-examination, to reassess our attitude, because the church is meant to be a refuge for all. Those struggling with alcoholic addiction are often our own—our parents, siblings, children, and even those who contribute to church projects.
The church needs to ask pertinent questions such as: How have we treated alcoholics? Have we approached them with condemnation rather than compassion? Have we, perhaps, driven them away?
The Health Board is urging the church and its members to increase awareness about the health and socioeconomic impacts of alcoholism within the community. This campaign should be extended to colleges, public transport hubs, Boda Boda stations, industrial areas, and local markets.
The campaign highlights the vital role of faith in overcoming addiction, encouraging individuals to draw on spiritual strength and the support of their community as they work toward sobriety.