The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the United Development Company (UDC) for the latter to implement Wellness Programme at Workplace.
This comes as part of the ongoing efforts of the ministry to promote health awareness among different segments of society in Qatar on adopting healthy lifestyles and in line with Qatar National Vision 2030. It aims to achieve the objectives of the National Health Strategy 2018-2022 and the Public Health Strategy of 2017-2022.
Dr Salah Abdulla Alyafei, acting manager, Health Promotion and Non-Communicable Diseases, said that the MoU with UDC is part of the activities and efforts of MoPH at promoting healthy lifestyles and improving the health of employees in different sectors. He noted that the MoU aims at promoting the health of Qatar’s population and reducing the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
The Wellness Programme at Workplace was launched by MoPH in 2014 to encourage all employees of government and semi-government institutions to adopt and practise healthy lifestyle in their daily lives. It also provides a healthy and safe environment for employees, and correct malpractices through early detection of risk factors for chronic non-communicable disease.
The programme is based on an integrated plan that includes needs assessment, a follow up action plan in collaboration with the participating organisation, the implementation of the activities, and ongoing monitoring and a follow-up evaluation.
The programme aims to prevent chronic non-communicable diseases. This is achieved by focusing on nutrition, physical activity in the work environment and outside. The programme also addresses cessation of tobacco consumption and increasing awareness to overcome daily stress.
The aim is to bring numerous benefits to the health of employees by enhancing the safety of the work environment, raising staff confidence and morale, reducing work pressure, increasing job satisfaction, increasing health protection skills, improving health and well-being.
MoPH has invited all ministries and government and semi-government institutions to participate in the programme, which has already been implemented in 12 institutions and MoUs signed with several organisations to improve, monitor and evaluate the health status of employees.