Ministry Of Health & Prevention Launches “Lose To Win” Programme With The Ministry Of Infrastructure
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), represented by Health and Education Department, launched “Lose to Win” Programme which is targeting in this edition, the Ministry of Infrastructure Development employees.
The aim of the programme is to instruct and encourage those suffering from overweight to learn how to induce positive changes in their lifestyles, by adopting a healthy diet and practicing physical activity, so as to lose excessive weight within 8 weeks.
The team of “Lose to Win” Programme comprises nutritionists and health educators from Health and Education Department. In the beginning, the team held an introductory session alongside another session on the first measurements with the participation of 320 employees. Among those, 110 employees, who fulfilled the conditions, have been selected.
The programme team has provided the participants with information about the programme, rules of participation and importance of adherence, in addition to learning about the programme’s timeframe.
Moreover, a workshop on a healthy nutrition and physical activity was held to brief the participants about essential topics, including how to read food label and foundations of healthy choice and physical activity, as well as explaining the diet which includes all food ingredients with a special focus on a high percentage of vitamins, minerals and fibers which are essential for the human body.
National Health Indicators
H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdel-Rahman Al-Rand, Undersecretary of the Ministry’s Health Assistant Sector, Health Centers and Clinics, underscored the significance of launching the programme for the first time in cooperation with a federal authority “Ministry of Infrastructure Development”. The programme came as a part of “MA’KOM” initiative to promote conducting a healthy lifestyle within the community. This programme is considered one of the initiatives that serve the National Health Indicators 2021, which embrace lots of specialized initiatives seeking the involvement and empowerment of the individuals to take serious and fundamental steps towards improving their health levels.
Also, the programme comes in line with MoHAP’s strategy in terms of promoting the awareness of adopting healthy lifestyles to cope with WHO’s standards.
Creating Health Supportive Environment
Dr. Fadila Sharif, Director of the Health Education Department, said: “(Lose to Win) Programme falls under MoHAP’s exerted efforts to encourage the people to be engaged in physical activity and to adopt a healthy lifestyle, in addition to losing the excess weight, so as to promote the individual level and to invest his positive energy in a way that serves the society and achieves its happiness.
“That could be accomplished by activating the National Initiative “Promoting the Awareness of Healthy Lifestyle” which aims to build a healthy society, by enabling the people to adopt healthy lifestyles and to create health supportive environment. This will contribute to reducing the prevalence of chronic diseases,” Dr. Fadila added.
Achieving a Large-Scale Participation
In turn, Nouf Khamis, Deputy Director of Health Education and Promotion Department, stated that the programme is being implemented with the employees of Infrastructure Development Ministry in Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah, in order to achieve widespread participation and to reach the biggest possible segment.
She added that a registration form has been sent to the employees. The form contains general information about the participants (age, gender, etc.), and also their current health status and their willingness to lose excess weight. This form will be used to select those who are qualified to join the programme and to exclude some cases, such as pregnant and nursing women, patients with various disease and others.
A measurement session was held, including weight, height, body mass, fat rate, and waist and pelvis measurement. The process of the participants’ weight loss will be followed up, registered and stored as per the programme’s timeframe by using Tanita weight scales.
The program will include follow-up sessions where the program staff will discuss the latest developments of the program and respond to the queries, obstacles and challenges faced the participants in their diet and fitness plans.
