Under the patronage of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Sharjah (SCFA), the Health Promotion Department the Supreme Council for Family Affairs will organize the official ceremony for launching the first phase of the “Healthy Schools” Program, which falls under WHO’s Health Promoting Schools Initiative.
The ceremony will be held on Monday at Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre (JRCC), Sharjah, with the attendance of a number of representatives of WHO, Ministry of Health and Prevention, Ministry of Education, Sharjah Private Education Authority and Sharjah Education Council, in addition to a number of members of the Executive Committee of Healthy Schools Program, strategic partners and sponsors.
The event will include a presentation on the program objectives and preliminary stages that have been implemented collaboratively with Sharjah Private Education Authority and the experience of the Sultanate of Oman in implementing the program
A Lot of Effort Made
Commenting on the launch of the “Healthy Schools” program, HE Iman Rashid Saif, Director of the Health Promotion Department, said: “Healthy Schools” program is the outcome of efforts exerted through the previous months in association with the participating institutions. Our aim is to establish an appropriate environment and good life for school students, as well as to provide psychological safety and outstanding healthcare for them.”
“The program also aims at implementing principles and means of enhancing public health for children and adolescents in a way that
ensures their right to life and scales up their health levels to the maximum extent possible, in pursuance of the wise vision of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi who is patronizing the program and is keen on its success through her constant follow-up on the entire preparations for launching the program in due course” Saif elaborated.
Healthy and Safe Environment at Schools
The Director of Health Promotion Department stated that the program workgroups have already completed all preliminary stages prior to the actual commencement of the first phase of the program.
The three-year program is targeting 113 private schools, 111 public schools, 26 public nurseries in Sharjah, and more than 183 thousand students, nurseries, kindergartens, the academic staff, school management, the parents and all relevant categories in the society.
She pointed out that the program falls under the UAE Vision 2021 with the aim of reducing obesity rates among children and adolescents, providing an environment supportive of healthy behaviors of students and raising the capacity and guidance of schools in a unified framework to address health challenges.
The Health Promotion Department is the UAE’s first institution that launches the “Healthy Schools” program in line with WHO’s requirements and standards.
Additionally, this program is one of the outcomes of the “My Health” 7th Regional Conference, organized by the Health Promotion Department, which focused on the theme of nutrition, as a key factor in preventing chronic diseases among children and adolescents.
