Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), in partnership with AstraZeneca, is lending its renowned health service weight in support of the 2010 World Heart Day commemorations taking place at the weekend in Abu Dhabi. The Cleveland Clinic-managed institution is joining in with the United Nations observance being enacted across the globe, which is marked every last Sunday in September.
Safe At Heart' is the appropriate tag-line for the activities on offer at the capital's World Heart Day, with the program designed to educate people to the devastating effects of cardiovascular disease - a group of conditions that are the number one cause of death worldwide. A special emphasis this year is 'workplace wellness' and The Emirates Cardiac Society has joined with SKMC for World Heart Day 2010 to boost productivity at work by educating employers and employees about good heart health.
"Sheikh Khalifa Medical City has started a number of heart healthy programs for its employees and we hope that these programs will reduce absenteeism and increase productivity and creativity," revealed Dr Wael Almahmeed, President of the Emirates Cardiac Society and Deputy Chief Medical Officer at SKMC. "SKMC was one of the first hospitals to have a smoke-free campus and we soon will be opening a cafeteria with healthy heart food options. This year, we are inviting corporate companies in Abu Dhabi to join in our celebrations for World Heart Day and we are encouraging them to educate their staff on the prevention of heart disease," he added.
The three-day schedule of World Heart Day activities is being put on at Abu Dhabi Mall from Thursday, September 23 and is sponsored by international and local organisations that are committed to improving the health of the UAE's residents. Along with SKMC and the Emirates Cardiac Society, the bio-pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is providing its backing. The leading multi-national concern has partnered with the Emirates Cardiac Society for its Safe At Heart campaign, which aims to slash the incidence of heart disease in the Gulf.
"World Heart Day is undoubtedly one of the most important dates on the annual health awareness calendar, as it is this group of diseases that claim more lives than any other across the globe," said Tarek Rabah, President, AstraZeneca Gulf. "Thirty percent of deaths worldwide can be attributed to cardiac disease of one form or another and the UAE contributes significantly to the global statistics," he added.
The organisers of the capital's World Heart Day 2010 commemorations have embraced the theme workplace by arranging for baskets of fruit to be delivered to corporate organisations across the capital. The healthy gifts are inviting employers, employees and their families to visit Abu Dhabi Mall and discover how looking after their hearts can help them lead long, productive and fulfilling lives.
The Abu Dhabi World Heart Day activities take place at the Abu Dhabi Mall from September 23-25. Free health screenings are being made available to adults, including Body Mass Index measurements, blood pressure recordings, blood sugar checks and cholesterol checks. Children needn't feel left out throughout the program either, as there will be, balloon-bending demonstrations, face-painting and clowns to keep them occupied and amused.
