KUALA LUMPUR: Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector should play an important role in advocacy to encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle at a time when government health facilities are focusing on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, said Khairy Jamaluddin.

The Health Minister said the organising of events such as the KanWork 4 Charity Walkathon virtually is a timely initiative to promote healthy living in the midst of challenges under the new normal.

"This also shows that activities conducted under normal circumstances before the pandemic struck can still be carried out with a slightly different approach.

"This is actually what the government is hoping for when we move into the endemic phase, that is we can adjust our daily living to the new normal," he said.

Khairy said this when launching the KanWork 4 Charity Walkathon organised by NGO and cancer support group KanWork Cancer Society (KanWork) on the Zoom platform today.

The KanWork 4 Charity Walkathon will run for a month until Nov 3. Registration can be made on the KanWork website (https://apps.kanwork.org) until Oct 12.

Khairy also launched two books published by KanWork - Nutrition of Cancer Patients and an e-book, Cerita Kami KanWork, as a guide and inspiration for the community.

-- BERNAMA