Since its launch, the Activídate program has integrated over six hundred individuals, who have been referred from their respective health centers. This project, a joint initiative by the Health and Education departments of the Canarian Government, focuses on prescribing supervised physical activity plans to patients. The low dropout rate, standing at 5%, highlights the system's effectiveness in promoting healthy lifestyles and improving the population's quality of life.
The Minister of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Canarian Government, Poli Suárez, presented the implementation model for the Activídate units to representatives from all 88 Canarian municipalities. The working session took place at the Cabildo de Tenerife, with collaboration from the Canarian Federation of Municipalities (Fecam) and the Official College of Graduates in Physical Education and Sports Science of the Canary Islands. This informative session provided municipal councilors and sports technicians with details of the system and options for its local application, aiming to expand it throughout the archipelago.
“"Activídate represents a new way of understanding public policies, where physical activity ceases to be just an option and becomes a real health tool, accessible from municipalities and directly connected to the healthcare system."
Minister Suárez emphasized the crucial role of local councils as a “key piece” of the program, as it is at the local level that the service materializes and transforms people's lives. The primary objective is for any resident in the Canary Islands, regardless of their location, to be able to access this system and improve their well-being through adapted physical exercise.
The program's operation involves healthcare professionals from health centers referring patients to the Activídate units. In these units, which are a municipal service, qualified physical education and sports educators assess each individual, design personalized programs, and provide continuous monitoring. Currently, the Activídate system operates with seven pilot units, one on each island, covering basic health zones with populations ranging from 70,000 to 80,000 people across the archipelago.
Specifically, the program is implemented in Tuineje (Fuerteventura), Teror (Gran Canaria), Tinajo (Lanzarote), La Frontera (El Hierro), San Sebastián de La Gomera, Villa de Mazo (La Palma), and the Añaza health center in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The initiative aims to combat sedentary lifestyles and associated risk factors, with plans for further expansion in the near future.
