Last summer, the Health Promotion Department held a 16-session aerobics course in six localities.

This was a great initiative that deserves support and encouragement by those who want to live a healthier life.

I was among those who attended one of these courses and, like other participants, I was looking forward to attending more such courses. Unfortunately, we never heard anything. Have these courses been shelved?

There was a very good response to them, many of those who had applied were put on a waiting list. Everyone now realises that it is far better to keep healthy by participating in physical exercise than resorting to medical treatment.

Thus the country would save on the soaring costs of health care, as less will be spent on medicines and hospital treatment. Recently, we have been hearing about initiatives to promote physical exercise, such as 'girls /boys on the move', and the response has been quite encouraging. How about 'adults on the move'? We have quite a few sports complexes around Malta, where such courses can be held during different times of the day.

I urge the Health Promotion Department to keep alive the initiative it took last summer and continue this project.