Health-promoting schools project launched in UAE

ABU DHABI — Education and health are two faces of the same coin and are strongly inter-related, said Minister of Health Hamad Abdul Rahman Al Midfa here on Sunday.

By Anjana Sankar

Published: Tue 21 Dec 2004, 10:33 AM

Last updated: Thu 2 Apr 2015, 1:32 PM

He was emphasising on the importance of the health-promoting schools in his message on the occasion of the formal launching of a National Network of Health Promoting Schools Project, held at the Armed Forces Officers Club.

The network was launched at a gala function attended by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Education, under-secretaries and other top officials from the ministries of health and education, members of the AGCC Health Ministers' Council and other related bodies from across the country and abroad.

"The Ministry of Health has adopted the National Network of Health Promoting Schools Project in the UAE taking into serious consideration the project's positive role in strengthening interactions between schools and the society through effective partnership that benefit the society in general," Midfa noted.

He said preparation for the programme began in the late nineties with the support of the World Health Organisation and the participation of a number of international experts, during which the programme was designed and 15 schools from various parts of the country were chosen for the pilot project, adding that a number of teachers were trained on the principles and methods of implementing the project.

"To ensure the success of this project, a higher committee was formed. The committee consists of representative from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Information and Culture, as well as representatives from the various municipalities and non-governmental organisations like the UAE Red Crescent Society, the General Women's Union and the Parents Association," he added.

Shaikh Nahyan described the project as one of the most important initiatives and a giant step taken in the right direction by his ministry in its efforts to modernise the concept of its message and the methods of working with it.

"We are striving towards using all what would lead us to modern development, including science and technology. We will remain steadfast to face the challenges of modern time with all what it takes to do so," the minister said.

Shedding light on the project, the Director of Central School Health Department, Dr Mariam Al Matroushi, explained that project which will be tested for three years, will cover thousands of students. "We seek to make a conscious student more aware about his health and the best way to take good care of his health to be able to carry on with his education and to grow up well trained and well equipped with good conduct and skills that will boost his health and his society and to make meaningful contribution to the building of this nation," she added.

Dr Khawaja from the AGCC Health Ministers' Council said in his remark that any investment in school health means investment for development. "It is undoubtedly the most important and most profitable investment of all as it deals directly with mankind himself and this is the most important and most noble end, which must justify any means."