Qatar's adoption of 'Healthy Cities' project affirms emphasis on universal health: MoPH

HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Mohamed al-Kuwari has said that Qatar's adoption of the “Healthy Cities” project affirms the government’s commitment to achieve universal health.

Speaking on the sidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO)'s award ceremony designating the Doha and Al Rayyan municipalities as “Healthy Cities” and the designation of Qatar Foundation (QF)’s Education City as a “Healthy Education City”, the minister stressed that the health strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030 are aimed at promoting physical and mental health for the population.HE Dr al-Kuwari pointed out that her ministry has developed strong partnerships, bringing together policymakers, researchers, academics and leaders from different sectors and industries through the development of a “Healthy City Network”, to facilitate joint work and collaborations aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of the population."Receiving the WHO Healthy City accreditation for Doha and Al Rayyan municipalities, as well as the recognition of Education City as 'Healthy Education City', is a reflection of the efforts across government and key stakeholders towards prioritising the health and well-being of the population of Qatar," she said, adding that it is also a commitment to continue to push the health agenda forward.For his part, HE the Minister of Municipality Abdulla bin Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Subaie said that the designations affirm Qatar's commitment to transform Qatar’s cities into healthy cities, through sustainable urban development and high quality of life."This achievement is a culmination of efforts to develop all municipalities in the country and to upgrade the level of projects and services provided to residents, to achieve the Ministry of Municipality’s strategic goals of maintaining eco-friendly cities with green, healthy, and scenic facilities; and enhancing the 'ease of living' and quality of life," he added.The minister expressed appreciation to the MoPH, the QF and other partners for their efforts that led to the award, following the joining of three municipalities – Al Wakra, Al-Shamal and Al Sheehaniya – to the Unesco Global Network of Learning Cities.HE the Vice-Chairperson and Chief Executive of Qatar Foundation Sheikha Hind bint Hamad al-Thani said that the physical and mental health of the community in Qatar is a basic pillar in promoting sustainability.She added that its dedication and preservation is necessary to support Qatar's endeavors for human and societal development.HE Sheikha Hind said that promoting the society's health and well-being requires a joint commitment and solidarity among various parties, including the QF, which believes that opportunities to realise human potential increase in a cohesive and healthy society, as the institutions has always worked on making human development a priority for more than 25 years.She noted that this commitment and co-operation between country's various parties resulted in two municipalities in Qatar obtaining the approval from the WHO.HE Sheikha Hind also stressed that the QF is working on upgrading its system as a whole to support national programmes, empower society, and contribute more within the framework of national efforts to build healthier cities in the field of education, work, or daily lifestyles.WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Ahmed al-Mandhari said that the “Healthy City” approach is a comprehensive programme that integrates multidisciplinary actions across different sectors, and encourages community engagement, partnership, empowerment and equality among city dwellers."The State of Qatar has demonstrated significant commitment to improving health and well-being, and to strong co-operation among partners from government, academia and civil society, ensuring that the health and well-being of its population remain a top priority," he added.It is noteworthy that a WHO delegation paid a field visit to the Doha and Al Rayyan municipalities earlier to evaluate their eligibility for the “Healthy City” status.The “Healthy City” programme is global initiative launched by the WHO, which is aimed at placing health on top of the social and political agenda of cities, by promoting health, equity and sustainable development through innovation and multisectoral change.The programme is aligned with the Eastern Mediterranean Region vision 2023: *Health for all by all.The “Healthy City” status is awarded to cities around the world that meet the criteria set by the WHO.The “Healthy City” programme in Qatar serves one of the strategic projects within the National Health Strategy (NHS) 2018-2022.It is an inter-sectoral collaborative approach to improving the health and equity for all populations, by incorporating health considerations and implications into all decision-making processes and policies across government.The programme focuses on four areas of work: establishment of robust governance structure, community engagement and empowerment, behavioural change interventions, and strengthening monitoring and evaluation.The “Healthy City” initiative aims to improve the health of populations by promoting health and well-being, empowerment and equity among residents, and preventing the main causes of diseases through incorporating health in all policies, which fosters cooperation and partnership across sectors and with the community.The "Healthy Education City" award is part of the "Health-Promoting Universities" and the "Healthy City" programmes.This award reflects the QF's dedication to promoting health and well-being, as well as its commitment to supporting members of the community to reach their full potential.