The Ministry of Public Health signed on 14 June 2021 a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Qatar Rail to implement the Wellness program in the Workplace, which make the total number of entities implementing the wellness program in the workplace reach 15 in different sectors.
The MoU was signed by Ms. Huda Al-Katheeri, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance, on behalf of the Ministry of Public Health, and Mr. Abdulrahman Ali Al Malik, Senior Director of Quality, Safety, Health, Environment, Security Department (QSHESE), on behalf of Qatar Rail.
This comes as part of the ongoing efforts of the Ministry of Public Health to promote health awareness among the different segments of society in the State of Qatar on adopting healthy lifestyles and in line with Qatar Vision 2030 and to achieve the objectives of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 and the Public Health Strategy of 2017-2022, as well as the objectives of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition and Physical Activity 2017-2022.
Ms. Huda Al-Katheeri, Director of Strategic Planning and Performance Department from the Ministry of Public Health has stated that signing this MoU with the Qatar Rail to implement the workplace wellness program is part of the activities and efforts of the Ministry of Public Health aiming at promoting healthy lifestyles and improve the health employees in different sectors towards achieving the national target of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 aiming at healthy and safe employees.
Dr. Salah Abdulla Alyafei, Acting Manager Health promotion and Non-Communicable Diseases from the Ministry of Public Health, has highlighted that the objectives of this program are in alignment with the Public Health Strategy as well which supports the National Health Strategy aiming at promoting the health of Qatar’s population and reducing the prevalence on non-communicable diseases.
The Wellness Program in the workplace was launched by the Ministry of Public Health in 2014. It aims at encouraging all employees of governmental and semi-governmental institutions to adopt and practice healthy lifestyle in their daily lives, to provide a healthy and safe environment for employees, and to correct some of their malpractices through early detection of risk factors for chronic non-communicable disease by measuring the rate of obesity, blood pressure, blood sugar and fats.
The program is based on an integrated plan that includes needs assessment, a follow up comprehensive action plan in collaboration with the participating organization, the implementation of the activities, and ongoing monitoring and a follow-up evaluation. The focus of the program is on how to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases. This is achieved by focusing on healthy nutrition, physical activity in the work environment and outside. The program also addresses cessation of tobacco consumption, alongside increasing the awareness of how to overcome daily stress.
Additionally, the Wellness program in the Workplace brings numerous benefits to the health of employees by enhancing the health and safety of the work environment, raising staff confidence and morale, reducing work pressure, increasing job satisfaction, increasing health protection skills, improving health and improving well-being. Furthermore, the program enhances the participating organizations’ work environment by providing a healthy environment, promoting a positive image of the institution and its interest in its employees, increasing productivity, reducing the need for health care and the cost of treatment.
The program is implemented according to a set plan to include more partners within the objectives of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022.
Source: Ministry of Public Health