The Ministry of Health and Prevention publicized the launch of its community awareness campaign on cardiovascular disease, which is part of the Healthy Heart initiative. The launch, which was held at the headquarters of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, is part of the celebrations marking World Heart Day on September 29, 2016-- with this years commemoration focusing on community health awareness as well as the health risks related with the use of tobacco, absence of physical inactivity, and following unhealthy eating behaviors all of which are contributing to the rising cases of cardiovascular disease.

The opening ceremony was attended by H.E. Nasser Khalifa Al Budoor, Assistant Undersecretary of MOHAP and Director of Dubai Medical District, Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai, and Dr. Weddad Al Maidoor, Director of National Tobacco Control Program, as well as department managers and a number of officers and staff.

With the theme Power Your Life, the World Heart Day aims to increase public awareness on ways to decrease heart risks and encourage healthy home and work environments. It empowers community members to make positive changes in their lives; fight heart disease, hypertension, stroke and other associated risk factors such as; sedentary lifestyle; eating junk food; and using tobacco products. Therefore, providing healthy choices to the community such as, making healthcare center facilities available, promoting smoke-free work places, and offering healthy food alternatives are all crucial to achieve the objectives of the World Heart Day celebration.

The Ministry will stage a host of educational and fun-filled events and activities in primary healthcare centers, shopping malls such as Mega Mall Sharjah, Al Ghurair Centre in Dubai, and RAK Mall in Ras Al Khaimah, in addition to several workplaces and hospitals as part of the nationwide mass awareness campaign. The government-led activities will also include, free medical check-ups (blood pressure, body mass index, blood sugar level), health counseling, and lectures and workshops on the benefits of healthy eating and physical activity as well as the negative effects of smoking.

Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai, Dr. Hussein Abdel-Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministrys Health & Prevention Assistant Sector - Health Centers and Clinics and Dr. Fadila Mohammed Sharif, Director of the Ministrys Health Education and Promotion shared the information's to promote healthy lifestyles in local society, reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Sharif led the launching of 116 UAE-wide campaigns in 2014, benefiting 11,482 people; 78 campaigns in 2015, benefiting 6,416 individuals; and 89 campaigns in 2016 with 6,918 beneficiaries