The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has joined the world in celebrating the World Heart Day, which falls on September 29 of every year, by organizing an initiative to offer its staff and customers free medical tests.
MoHAP emphasized it will spare no effort to increase public awareness about the impact of cardiovascular diseases on quality of life through activities and events that will help restrict the spread of cardiovascular diseases and enhance the outcomes of national health indicators in accordance with government strategic plans and sustainable development programs.
The ministry said that enhancing patients' lives has always been a key priority for the UAE's healthcare system, and that it would continue to strive toward this objective by establishing national programs, initiatives, and campaigns on a regular basis.
"We look forward to solidifying the UAE’s competitive position among the countries with the lowest mortality rate from cardiovascular diseases and arteries in the world," the ministry said.
The ministry reaffirmed the UAE's commitment to meeting WHO targets of lowering global fatalities from noncommunicable diseases by up to 25% by 2025, considering that heart disease accounts for around one-third of all deaths worldwide.
It urged the public to adopt healthy behaviors and lifestyles to support the safety and health of their hearts and arteries as well as to boost their immunity.
The ministry has also advised the UAE community to follow a healthy, balanced diet; engage in physical exercise; fight obesity; quit smoking; and undergo early and periodic medical tests to check on their health, vitality, and productivity.
It lauded the theme of this year’s occasion "Use the heart for every heart" by the World Heart Federation, adding that it is an inspirational one that calls for a rethink about the best ways of using the heart to support humanity, nature, and human health.