DOHA: Over 3,500 workers have been educated about preventing communicable diseases by the ‘Wekaya’ campaign conducted by Qatar Red Crescent (QRC) and the Supreme Council of Health (SCH).
A series of activities were held at the Industrial Area to raise awareness among workers and employers at several companies and primary healthcare centres, says Secretary General of Qatar Red Crescent, Saleh Al Mohannadi.
“We are giving priority to this group of people because of their working conditions are different and it’s their humanitarian right to be healthy and not get infected by communicable diseases,” Al Mohannadi said.
Around 2,500 workers were educated during the first week of the campaign.
Bags were distributed among the workers with a toothbrush, tooth paste, soap, and other utensils to help workers care for their personal hygiene.
Many low income workers are from TB epidemic countries live in high-density labour camps, are grouped in the same camp rooms and are at the risk of an infection spreading fast, said Director of Health Protection and Communicable Diseases Control at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH), Dr Mohammed Al Hajiri, during the launch of the campaign.
They also get infected with diseases such as diarrhoea and influenza. ‘Wekaya’, the awareness campaign, will be implemented over three years through several phases.
The first phase of the awareness campaign will aim to prevent workers being infected by communicable diseases. They will also be educated on ways of transmission, diagnosis and treatment of communicable diseases.
The campaign started a few weeks ago at the health centre in the Industrial Area for four months as a pilot project. It will also reach 40 companies and educate its workers on communicable diseases.
A total of 10,000 personal hygiene kits will be distributed among the workers. And the first phase of the campaign will also distribute leaflets in languages including in Arabic, English, and Urudu. Lectures, seminars and exhibitions too will be held among the workers.
Further, medical staff in the Industrial Area too will be trained about combating communicable diseases. The Peninsula
