HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari said the ministry and its partners are working through the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 to adopt a population health approach that provides greater focus on prevention and wellness.
The minister highlighted the importance of continuous and co-ordinated health messages to the population and concerted efforts to address a number of health challenges such as obesity, weight gain and low level of physical activity, stressing the commitment to work hard to support the people in order to enjoy a healthy life full of vigour and vitality.
The Ministry of Public Health and its partners are implementing important initiatives that contribute to the health of the Qatari society, promote healthy lifestyles and encourage people to exercise regularly, at World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended levels.
The National Health Strategy aims to achieve a 5% reduction in the rate of obesity among children, adolescents and adults.
The issue of obesity in Qatar is being addressed through the promotion and co-ordination of health awareness programmes targeting key health risk factors and promote healthy behaviours.
It is also a strategic goal to develop a health city by 2022 and to be endorsed by the WHO.
This programme supports the preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and is an international development initiative that aims to place health at the top of the agenda for Qatar’s work to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Work is being done in collaboration with various sectors to make the health approach a priority in all policies, helping to make healthy choices easier and improving the health of the population.
The objectives of the national strategy for health, which focuses on physical activity, include a 25% increase in the proportion of adolescents who meet the recommended physical activity rates, where various initiatives that encourage children to increase physical activity are being consolidated.
Plans include launching a comprehensive and integrated national school health programme to develop a healthy, nutrition-based approach and healthy lifestyle behaviours for children and adolescents.
The objectives of the strategy also include the access of 80% of government and semi-governmental staff to occupational health programmes to achieve wellness in the workplace.
Plans include the development of effective workplace wellness programmes that promote physical and mental health, reducing occupational hazards and improving workplace safety.
Other national health strategy initiatives that aim at increasing physical activity include encouraging people to be more active, supporting individuals to better care for themselves through a range of awareness campaigns and initiatives and developing healthy lifestyles for the elderly throughout Qatar.
HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari
