FROM LEFT: Dr Sheikha Al Anoud bint Mohammed Al Thani, Director of Health Promotion and Non-communicable Diseases Department, Dr Sheikh Mohamed bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of Public Health Department at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) and Dr Yousra Hammad, of Primary Health Centre Corporation, at the press conference. Kammutty V P
DOHA: Children of all primary Independent schools in the country will get to know about the importance of physical exercise and how to select healthy food through a nationwide campaign, launched by the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) yesterday.
The pilot phase of the “We are Healthy Kids Programme” was launched during the 2010-2011 academic year, covering 15 schools, and was expanded to 35 in the following year. The SCH has now re-launched it to include all primary Independent schools in the country.
“This programme aims to promote healthy lifestyle among children and create awareness among them about the importance of healthy diet and physical exercise. They will also be educated on the hazards of smoking,” Dr Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, Director of the Public Health Department at SCH, told a press conference yesterday.
“The activities will be carried out with support and involvement of families and society,” he added.
The programme is carried out by the Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Diseases Department at SCH, in collaboration with the Supreme Education Council, Primary Health Care Corporation, Qatar Foundation and Maersk Oil.
“The overall aim of the programme is to promote healthy lifestyle among fifth-graders at the primary level by increasing their awareness about selection of healthy food and healthy beverage and physical activity in school and outside,” Dr Sheikha Al Anoud bint Mohammed Al Thani, Director of Health Promotion and Non-communicable Diseases Department, said.
The programme, which was launched in 2011, has been updated based on results of evaluation of the pilot phase and feedback from participating schools.
It will be carried out over eight weeks and each week will have its theme.
The theme for the first week is “Your health and your diet’.
The themes for the following weeks are: ‘Healthy snacks’; ‘Water and health’; ‘Choose your favourite sport’; ‘Healthy sleeping’; ‘Your food and the health of your teeth’; ‘Tobacco free life’; and ‘Confident steps towards change’.
The Peninsula
