World Health Day observed in schools

Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) observed World Health Day by offering advice and educational materials in eight schools. The aim of the initiative was to help improve the community’s health by raising awareness about the possible risks of leading unhealthy lifestyles.The theme for this year’s World Health Day, which is observed on April 7 to mark the anniversary of the World Health Organisation’s establishment in 1948, was high blood pressure or hypertension. It increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure and highlights a priority area of public health concern in the world.PHCC supported the campaign by promoting ways to encourage the community to change behaviours that can lead to hypertension, such as letting students know about the causes and risk factors of high blood pressure, encouraging them to regularly check their blood pressure, avoiding tobacco use, engaging in regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy body weight and reducing salt intake.The corporation selected eight of its most active health promotion schools - four intermediate and four secondary - to mark the day by raising awareness about the causes and consequences of high blood pressure and encouraging the participants to change their lifestyles that can increase the risk of hypertension.The activities included presentations and educational sessions led by the school nurses, who distributed flyers and provided blood pressure check-up for the students and staff of their institutes.PHCC’s health promotion manager Yousra Hammad said: “Non-communicable diseases, including high blood pressure, are a major cause of deaths in Qatar, accounting for 51% of classified deaths in 2010. As much as 80% of the non-communicable diseases can be prevented, principally by adopting healthier lifestyles”.Hammad urged students to learn and explore more about high blood pressure.