Letter of the Day | Sigma Run can be valuable to One Health

THE EDITOR, Madam:

By any metric, Sagicor’s Sigma Run is the largest and most impactful charitable event in the Caribbean. Its 26th staging two days ago handsomely surpassed its target by almost $13M, through the generosity of not just the 30,000 strong registrants but many more donors eager to be forces for good.

In keeping with tradition, the targeted beneficiaries were institutions in the human health sector. While these beneficiaries are deserving and confidently expected to create much value for our citizenry, there can be even greater value from the hugely successful 2025 Sigma Run, if the other two arms of the one health triad, that is animals and the environment, were to be offered some support.

Contemporary definitions of health recognise the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health. The health of society requires each arm to rely on the health of the other two arms, as easily seen in the value of clean air and water sources, therapy animals and the medicinal value of numerous plants. In a nod to the organisers’ growing recognition of ONE health, was the notable effort at “greening” the 2025 run through the strategic inclusion of recycling efforts targeting plastic bottles and food wastage.

The organisers are encouraged to use the surplus of the 2025 Sigma Run to support other institutions which operate to provide health to animals and the environment.

Institutions such as the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Jamaica Environmental Trust, Montego Bay Animal Haven and the Alligator Head Foundation among others, could be made “surplus beneficiaries”, in full support of our nation’s health. Not only can we be out of many ONE people , but out of many one people practising ONE HEALTH.

DR SOPHIA RAMLAL

Proud Sigma participant and veterinarian