The health village, prevention in the square at the Winter village in Milan

An initiative of Onda, National Observatory on Women’s Health, with the sponsorship of the Lombardy Region, Metropolitan City and City of Milan, the collaboration of 8 Scientific Societies and Associations and the unconditional contribution of Doc Generici

Prevention, good habits and correct lifestyles: these are the protagonists of Winter Village, the health base camp set up in Milan from January 18 to 22, 2017 in the area in front of Via Mario Pagano. The event, promoted by Onda, with the unconditional contribution of Doc Generici, enjoys the patronage of the Lombardy Region, the Metropolitan City and the Municipality of Milan, and has the collaboration of 8 among scientific societies and associations &#8211 AIDI (Association of Italian Dental Hygienists), AMD (Association of Diabetes Physicians), ARCA (Regional Associations of Ambulatory Cardiologists), SIIA (Italian Society of Hypertension), SIMG (Italian Society of General Medicine), SIP (Italian Society of Psychiatry), SOI (Italian Ophthalmological Society) and URI (Urological Research Institute of San Raffaele Hospital).

The village, open to all and free of charge, will offer information and events aimed at promoting proper nutrition, as well as consultations with experts from leading scientific societies and much more.

The pathway is organized into four sections. It starts with the area dedicated to healthy eating, coordinated by chef Matteo Scibilia, who will reveal to the public the secrets of healthy, tasty and light cuisine thanks to tastings, courses and pathways. It then moves on to the health area, where information on correct lifestyles will be available, and to the area dedicated to discovering one’s own body through a digital virtual reality experience that will allow people to understand the risks linked to incorrect behaviors and the importance of early diagnosis, treatment when necessary and therapeutic continuity.

Finally, visitors will have the opportunity to have a free specialist medical consultation in cardiology, diabetology, hypertension, general medicine, ophthalmology, psychiatry, urology or a consultation in dental hygiene.

“From our recent survey – explains Francesca Merzagora, President of Onda – emerges how health remains the primary goal in the lives of Italian women. For 69% of women, in fact, well-being is a priority, but as much as they pay more attention than in the past, only 46% are satisfied (70% in 2006) with the management of their health and 2 out of 3 (67%) would like to do more. The main barriers to effective prevention activities are the cost of services (63 percent) and lack of information on screening exams to be performed (24 percent).

Onda, which has always been committed to promoting women’s and family health, is therefore offering the opportunity for many citizens to have free medical consultations and to immerse themselves in a journey into the world of health. Visitors – adds Francesca Merzagora – will be guided to discover the different areas with the possibility of receiving advice and information from a team of experts in order to correct any inappropriate habits that may be detrimental to health”.

“We decided to support this initiative – comments Massimo Sgrafetto, Sales & Marketing Director of DOC generics – to follow up and support a previous’activity that took place in 50 squares throughout Italy to assess the lifestyles of Italians. DOC generics is a company that moves in the world of health: prevention as well as’attention to proper lifestyles are the basis of health and only in case of need should one resort to the’use of drugs and always and only after medical consultation”.