Primary Health Care Corp (PHCC) organised an awareness campaign to mark World Heart Day, observed annually on September 29.Led by the Health Education Department in collaboration with health centres and their multidisciplinary teams, the campaign embraced this year’s theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” encouraging people to recognise cardiovascular risk factors and warning signs and take early action to protect their heart health.This message is particularly important as cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organisation, they claimed an estimated 19.8mn lives in 2022. Much of this risk can be reduced through smoking cessation, healthier eating and increased physical activity, alongside early detection, treatment and ongoing management of high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.The campaign featured interactive booths and stations where patients and visitors learned about cardiovascular risk factors, had their blood pressure checked, and explored healthy food choices, salt reduction, physical activity and ways to reduce sedentary behaviour. Activities also addressed the harm of tobacco and available smoking cessation services.Participants learned to recognise the warning signs of heart attack and stroke and the importance of seeking immediate medical assistance. They were encouraged to choose a realistic health goal they could begin incorporating into their daily lives. Children also took part in simple interactive activities focused on healthy eating, movement, and everyday habits that support heart health, helping establish healthy behaviours from an early age and engaging families in promoting heart health.Dr Maryam al-Emadi, director of Clinical Operations and Senior Consultant in Family Medicine at PHCC, said delivering the campaign through health centres strengthens primary care’s role in prevention and early detection while giving patients and their families the support they need to take practical steps to protect their health. She emphasised that collaboration between the Health Education Department, clinical teams, and support services reflects PHCC’s approach to providing integrated, patient-centred care.As part of the World Heart Day activities, Dr Sarah Rashid Musa, manager of Health Education and Consultant in Community Medicine, delivered an awareness lecture for healthcare professionals entitled “cardiovascular disease: from risk factors to root causes.” The lecture explored the global and local burden of cardiovascular disease, the importance of accurate blood pressure measurement and cardiovascular risk assessment, and the role of nutrition and physical activity in prevention. It also examined how social and behavioural circumstances affect patients’ ability to follow their care plans, highlighting the importance of listening to patients, identifying the barriers they face and coordinating support among healthcare team members.Dr Sarah explained that effective health education begins by helping individuals understand their health risks and the barriers that may limit their ability to adopt healthy behaviours, then agreeing on realistic goals that can be achieved and monitored. She emphasised the importance of knowing and monitoring blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels, noting that high blood pressure may occur without symptoms. She also highlighted the role of health education in empowering patients, involving them in appropriate health decisions and translating knowledge into sustainable daily practices that support heart health.
