(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Fazeena Saleem |
The Peninsula
Doha, Qatar: Qatar's commitment to the World Health Organisation's Healthy Cities approach was emphasised during the opening of the Eastern Mediterranean Region Healthy Cities Conference 2023 in Doha yesterday.
The aim is to explore how to scale up the Healthy Cities approach across the Eastern Mediterranean Region in line with WHO's 13th General Programme of Work, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the regional Vision 2023 goal of 'Health for All by All'.
The hybrid Conference being held under the theme 'Healthy Cities: A Multisectoral Approach to Health and Well-being' at the Mondrian Hotel will also review the Healthy Cities movement within the Region at the city level, as well as Qatar's experience in this field.
Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari delivering opening remarks at Eastern Mediterranean Region Healthy Cities Conference 2023, yesterday.
Minister of Public Health, H E Dr. Hanan Mohammed Al Kuwari, in her opening remarks, emphasised the significance of the Healthy Cities movement as a continuous journey towards health and well-being and how Qatar has exemplified its commitment by embracing the healthy cities approach.
She said,“Qatar works to promote the health and well-being of the population and achieve sustainability, guided by the wise vision of Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030. The Healthy Cities programme serves the country's efforts in this regard, and we are proud that Qatar is the first country where all municipalities received the title of Healthy City from the World Health Organization, in addition to Qatar Foundation's Education City is recognized as a Healthy Education City and Qatar University as a Healthy University.” The Minister highlighted that the Healthy Cities approach aims to create and nurture physical and social environments, expand community resources, and foster mutual support among people.
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“Qatar has adopted this approach and translated it into strategic initiatives, policies, and best practices by following the 'Health in All Policies' strategic priority and with close cooperation between various sectors in the country. We are pleased that through this Conference, we can exchange knowledge and experiences with other countries of the Eastern Mediterranean Region and with WHO Healthy City Networks across various regions.” The opening ceremony of the Conference, organised by the WHO and Ministry of Public Health, also featured a video message by the Director General of WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and was attended by WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr. Ahmed Al Mandhari and senior officials and representatives of 15 countries.
Healthy cities in the Eastern Mediterranean Region increased from 64 cities in 11 countries in 2019 to 111 cities in 15 countries in 2023.
“The programme has made remarkable progress in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region, with the Regional Healthy Cities Network expanding dramatically... We are aware of the challenges that prevent many of our countries and territories from making progress in the shift to Healthy Cities, but we are also sure that there are more opportunities than ever to do so. To make Healthy Cities a reality, planning must consider both the challenges and the opportunities, in line with the regional vision of 'Health for All by All,” said Al Mandhari.
Today and tomorrow, more than 40 international and local speakers and around 1300 participants will discuss ways to advance urban health strategies, leading towards healthier cities and communities across the Region and beyond.
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