WHO Delegation Evaluates Application for Accreditation of 6 Municipalities in Qatar as Healthy Cities

Doha, April 01 (QNA) - A delegation from the Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean at the World Health Organization (WHO) evaluated the request of the Ministry of Public Health for the municipalities of Al Khor, Al Wakra, Al Shahaniya, Al Daayen, Al Shamal, and Umm Salal to obtain the accreditation of the "Healthy City for 2022" and the accreditation of Qatar University as a healthy educational city, in a visit that the delegation paid to the State of Qatar during March. The health city program in the State of Qatar is one of the strategic projects under the priority of "Health in All Policies" within the National Health Strategy 2018-2022, and a collaborative, intersectoral approach to improving health and achieving health justice for all populations, by integrating health trends and standards in all processes of making health decision and policies across the government. At the end of last year, the municipalities of Doha and Al Rayyan had obtained the accreditation of the World Health Organization (two health cities), as well as the Education City of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (a healthy educational city). The Assistant Undersecretary for Municipal Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality Mansour Abdullah Al Mahmoud, welcomed the delegation of the World Health Organization as part of the assessment procedures for the remaining six municipalities of the State of Qatar, after the successful victory of the municipalities of Al-Rayyan and Doha last December. He pointed out that work teams composed of the Ministry of Public Health and the Ministry of Municipality are constantly coordinating to facilitate the inspection visit, which confirms the participation of different sectors of the country to implement an international project. The Regional Adviser for Health Promotion and Social Determinants of Health and the Health of the Elderly at World Health Organization Dr. Samar El-Feki, explained that the visit conducted by members of the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean team to the municipalities of Al Khor, Al Wakra, Al Shahaniya, Al Daayen, Al Shamal, Umm Salal and Qatar University indicates progress of the program in the State of Qatar, despite the situation related to "Covid-19" pandemic, and reflects the commitment at the highest levels to sustainable development and health promotion. She indicated that after the adoption of Doha and Al Rayyan as health cities, and Education City as a healthy educational city, the Ministry of Public Health strengthened the momentum that paved the way for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to unite communities and local authorities under the framework of healthy cities, which led to submitting evaluation requests to 6 municipalities and one university. The delegation of the World Health Organization (WHO) visited Al Wakra Municipality to review its sustainable development file and the most prominent projects and initiatives of the municipality in preparation for its adoption as the third 'Healthy City' in Qatar after the adoption of Doha and Al Rayyan in 2021. The delegation was briefed on the important projects and programs implemented by Al Wakra, which contributed to obtaining the Unesco Learning Cities Award for 2021, as one of the WHO objectives within the criteria of the Healthy City programme, in co-operation with the Ministry of Public Health. (QNA)