The World Health Assembly, during its 77th meeting, has officially adopted a resolution titled "Strengthening Health and Well-Being through Sport Events".
HE Minister of Public Health (MoPH) and head of Qatar's delegation Dr Hanan Mohamed al- Kuwari welcomed the adoption of the resolution by the 77th WHA, highlighting its significant impact on promoting health and well-being.
She expressed her sincere gratitude to the member states of the World Health Assembly for their support of this vital resolution, stating, "We have witnessed the powerful impact that major sport events can have on promoting health and well-being through the Sport for Health initiative. The initiative is a partnership between The State of Qatar and the World Health Organization, in collaboration with International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022."
HE Dr al-Kuwari noted that the official adoption of this resolution serves as a lasting legacy for the Sport for Health initiative and provides a framework through which future sports events can be leveraged to enhance and protect health.
The resolution was first introduced by Qatar during the 154th session of the WHO Executive Board in January 2024. It was co-sponsored by several countries, including Belarus, China, Egypt, the European Union and its 27 member states, Iraq, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
The Executive Board unanimously adopted the resolution, which has now been officially endorsed by the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA).
The resolution acknowledges the global burden of non-communicable diseases, which account for 74% of all deaths worldwide. The World Health Assembly also expresses concern over the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, injuries, and other health challenges.
Additionally, the resolution recognises the crucial role of sports in promoting health and well-being, the importance of sports events in reaching large populations, its impact on society at all levels, and its ability to influence human behaviour, well-being, and physical and mental health. It determines an array of recommendations, including encouraging countries to leverage the power of sports events and settings, according to the best available evidence, to address broader public health challenges, implement effective, evidence-based measures to promote health at sport events at the international, regional, and national levels and in community-level sports environments; facilitate and enhance capacities in health emergency preparedness, readiness and response and plan activities following a risk-based approach.
The recommendations also ensure actions at sports events and settings support global health priorities, including physical activity, clean air, clean water, and healthy diets, as well as reducing marketing of unhealthy products and imposing bans or restrictions on tobacco advertisements, promotion, and sponsorship and consider establishing a national annual "Sport and Physical Activity Day" similar to Qatar National Sport Day to further advocate and promote the benefits of sport and physical activity for health and well-being.
The resolution also encourages the exchange of best practices, lessons learned, and innovative approaches to integrating health promotion into sports, fostering global cooperation, research, and knowledge sharing.
The 77th session of the World Health Assembly concluded Saturday, with active participation from Qatar's delegation, led by HE Minister of Public Health, and Chair of the Executive Board of the WHO Dr. Hanan Mohamed al Kuwari. This year's World Health Assembly meetings were held under the theme "All for Health, Health for All."
HE Minister of Public Health (MoPH) and head of Qatar's delegation Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari welcomed the adoption of the resolution by the 77th WHA, highlighting its significant impact on promoting health and well-being.
