The public has found solace in these gymnasiums for various reasons, among them to lose weight and bodybuilding; some of them even offer classes such as aerobics, dancing and spinning. But a few cases have recently been reported of people losing their lives in gyms, while exercising. This may occasion fear in some people who may have wanted to join in the trend of fitness.

Investigations by the Monitor have found that despite the booming business of handling people's lives in Botswana, there is no controlling body that regulates and monitors the operation of gyms and fitness centres. At the Ministry of Sports, Youth and Culture, the Department of Sports and Recreation (DSR) has distanced itself from the operation of private gyms, saying its mandate is more focused on sports and recreation programmes, and not facilities. This is despite the fact that these gyms are objectively considered to form a part of recreation.

A senior officer in the Ministry of Health, Dr James Othwono, acknowledges that indeed there is a need to have a regulatory body made up of professionals to monitor the operation of health and fitness centres, as is the case with private medical practitioners. Othwono says that body should be under the Health Inspectorate division of the Ministry of Health, but due to shortage of resources, it has not (yet) been established.

 "The Health Inspectorate division of the Ministry of Health is not yet capacitated to extend its operations to gyms and fitness centres as it is understaffed," he says. He adds that anything that deals with health needs to be monitored closely to ensure that risks are minimised, and that fitness centres and gyms should be no exception.

According to Professor Emmanuel Owolabi, a senior lecturer in exercise physiology at the University of Botswana's (UB) department of physical education, an operational body of qualified people is needed to approve gyms before they start to operate. Owolabi says it is imperative for gyms to have medical reports of any individual before they start exercising and underscores the need for qualified personnel to be working in gyms because a lot of problems that require professional attention can arise during exercise. "Exercise is like medicine," he says. "Any overdose can kill, hence the need for professional personnel to prescribe, monitor and supervise exercise."

He adds that in most developed countries, a gym cannot operate without trained medical personnel, a first-aid specialist and transport to transfer casualties to hospital in case of an emergency. All these are almost nowhere to found in Botswana's gyms and fitness centres. If these issues are not addressed, people could die in gyms.

The assistant manager of Energym Health Studios in Gaborone, Tony Ndungu, says they have made their client's health their number one priority by hiring professionals to work in the gym. Ndungu says they assess everyone who comes to their gym prior to starting exercise and that once they start, they work with the individual based on the medical reports submitted.

They decided to do this because they understand that exercise can be hazardous if not done in the right way. Even so, Ndungu acknowledges the need to have a regulatory body to set standards and ensure the compliance of everyone in the fitness industry.