The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is joining world countries in celebration of World Health Day. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), this year’s theme is “Universal Health Coverage” to resume the march of the last year’s theme which was “Health for All”.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention is organizing educational activities and events in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. These activities include free medical examinations for blood sugar, pressure, and Body Mass Index (BMI) in health centres, medical districts, shopping malls, and other places.
On this occasion, WHO is calling on world leaders to live up to the pledges they made when they agreed to the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, and commit to concrete steps to advance the health of all people. This means ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access essential quality health services. In the meantime, WHO cannot overlook the key role the workers in the healthcare field plays in helping health decision-makers to realize people’s needs, particularly, at the primary health care level.
His Excellency Dr. Hussein Abdel Rahman Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Clinics and Centers, spotlighted the importance of celebrating the World Health Day as a significant global occasion. Every year, this day sheds light on one of the health issues to achieve Sustainable Development Goals, and the necessity to turn from health systems, which are based on disease and institutions, to healthcare services dedicated to the lives of the society members.
Innovative and sustainable Initiatives
Al Rand stressed MoHAP’s keenness on launching qualitative initiatives and carrying out health programmes and activities with a view to raising the community’s awareness about the importance of adopting healthy lifestyles such as healthy diet and physical activity.
He also highlighted the importance of spreading awareness and education about the comprehensive regular check-up to facilitate the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases risk factors, such as obesity, overweight, hypertension, and diabetes.
“This comes as part of MoHAP’s strategy to provide comprehensive and integrated healthcare services in innovative and sustainable ways ensuring the society’s prevention from diseases, in accordance with the National Agenda Indicators 2021, so as to make the UAE one of the best countries in terms of the healthcare quality,” Said Al Rand.
The Assistant Undersecretary for Health Clinics and Centers pointed to the official results of the national health survey conducted collaboratively with the country’s health and competent authorities. Al Rand added: “This survey aims to update the results of several strategic health indicators relating to diabetes, cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, smokers, and breastfeeding. In the meantime, the survey showed that the overall satisfaction of individuals with healthcare services has reached 96%.”
“This helps strengthen the planning programmes and national health policies, as well as exploring the healthcare future to achieve the UAE Vision 2021 aiming to build a world-class healthcare system, and to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 2030 in order to reinforce indicators of UAE competitiveness in global arenas,” Al Rand elaborated.
Awareness programs and medical examinations
In turn, Dr. Fadila Sharif, Director of the Health Education Department, pointed to the Ministry's keenness on all members of the community to receive free health checks in conjunction with the International Day of Health, including free tests and consultations for blood sugar, blood pressure, Body Mass Index (BMI), CO2 level test and others. Ministry’s hospitals including; Al Kuwait Hospital, Sharjah, Al-Zaid, Qasimi, Umm Al Quwain, and Kalba hospitals are organizing health awareness programmes, in addition to medical examinations. In the meantime, Al Qassimi Hospital for Women & Children is conducting sports activities for the staff, while Al Kuwait Hospital, Dubai, will organize an event at Care & Rehabilitation Centre for People of Determination including health awareness activities and medical examinations.