Prevention in the middle of the sea. Thus, at a time when there are no loopholes or excuses for putting it off, you are offered the opportunity to dedicate time and attention to your health. This is the intent of the ‘La nave della salute’ initiative which intends to promote primary and secondary prevention activities and remind us of the importance of early diagnosis. On Saturday 20 April at 5pm the AF MIA, the first Health Ship, will depart from the port of Ancona, on which free visits will be carried out for passengers starting from 4pm. For the first time, travellers, while waiting for departure and during crossing to their destination, they will be able to meet various specialists. The initiative was conceived by One Healthon, the first project implemented in Italy with the aim of raising awareness among citizens, institutions, doctors and the media on the need to promote the well-being of the planet.
How important is prevention?
According to Eurostat research, it is possible to save 1 million lives a year if regular checks are carried out and healthy lifestyles are maintained. “Prevention and early diagnosis are the keys to defeating most diseases – he states Rossana Berardi, president of One Health Foundation and professor of medical oncology at the Polytechnic University of Marche. Unfortunately, the importance of healthy lifestyles, supported by correct nutrition and daily exercise, is often underestimated. This is associated with a lack of awareness of how much routine checks can contribute to identifying pathologies in their early stages, when it is still possible to treat them quickly and without serious consequences. This applies to oncology, cardiology, rheumatology and many other branches of medicine.”
One Health Day, defending the environment to defend health by Dario Rubino 03 November 2023
The One Healthon project
The One Healthon project was presented in March last year to the Ministry of Health and since then over 4500 free visits have been provided and the importance of health for humans and the planet has been promoted through social media, webinars and appointments with the population . “With the Nave della Salute – continues Berardi – we want to offer those who travel for family or work reasons and have a moment of ‘waiting’ available during the day, the opportunity to think about their well-being, through meetings with specialists that can support them in preventing or early diagnosing the most common pathologies. We trust it is a pilot project that can guide us towards the creation of other similar initiatives.”
Animal health and environment project in the Marche and Calabria 26 May 2023
From oncology to nutrition
On the ‘Health Ship’ passengers will be able to meet specialists in oncological genetics and breast cancer (with Prof. Rossana Berardi and Dr. Francesca Rossi), dermatology (with Prof. Anna Campanati), vascular medicine (with doctors Roberto Catalini and Alessandro Saturni), ophthalmology (with doctors Carlo Sprovieri and Paolo Principi) and clinical nutrition (with doctors Marina Taus and Loriana Finocchiaro and doctor Marco Ferrara).
The link between health and the environment
The choice to bring prevention to the sea is also due to the fact that we want to underline the link that links human health to environmental health. “The Health Ship is a project that helps us remember the link between the health of people and that of the planet, in particular of our seas – he adds Roberto Danovaro, ecologist of the Polytechnic University of Marche and President of the WWF Scientific Committee. Pollution, fishing methods that are harmful to habitats, failure to dispose of waste and excessive use of plastic are irreversibly deteriorating waters around the world and can compromise our health. It is important to immediately commit to restoring the well-being of the seas and oceans, because we can all benefit from it, including through nutrition, one of the main elements of a healthy lifestyle.” Mauro Boldrini, Director of Communication of the Italian Association of Medical Oncology (AIOM) and Vice President of One Health Foundation declares: “We are strongly convinced that a change of course is possible to bring our planet back to optimal conditions and thus also the health of us who we live it, but to achieve this result the commitment of everyone is necessary, each with their own strengths and abilities. The best form of prevention occurs by meeting people and informing them of the benefits they can obtain with healthy lifestyles and regular checks. This is what we will do on the ship and what we hope to continue to do in the future with equally innovative projects.”
A ship at the service of health
The ship, which will dock on Sunday morning at the port of Durres, Albania, will host 400 people who will be able to use this service. “We are honored to be able to host an initiative with laudable social value in the port area, which also involves subjects who are protagonists of the maritime economy – declares Vincenzo Garofalo, president of the Central Adriatic Sea Port System Authority. We firmly believe in the fact that the port of Ancona is a point of reference for the community, as demonstrated by the presence of this event which further strengthens the bond between the city and its port”. The motivation is also strong Alberto Rossi, Owner of the Nave della Salute: “I have been a shipowner for many years, but even before that I have been the son of a doctor. When we talk about initiatives that concern health and in particular the health of our territory, which is fortunate enough to have one of the most efficient health systems in Italy, I, my family and my companies are always ready to do our part. The Board of Directors of Adria Ferries and I hope that the concept of prevention promoted by One Healthon can find diffusion and due space throughout the national territory, both at a public and private level”.