Ministry Of Health Launches 3rd Phase Of Heart Experts Programme

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has announced the third phase completion of its initiative, ‘Heart Experts,’ programme, selecting, training and empowering a group of students to serve as awareness ambassadors for cardiovascular health in their schools, neighborhood and local community

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 16th Mar, 2019) The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, has announced the third phase completion of its initiative, ‘Heart Experts,’ programme, selecting, training and empowering a group of students to serve as awareness ambassadors for cardiovascular health in their schools, neighborhood and local community.

The pilot phase of the programme was completed at the Al Mawakeb School in Al Barsha, targeting 21 students aged 15-17 years.

The Hear Experts initiative falls under the umbrella of the Operational Plan Initiatives to achieve the National Indicators for the reduction of mortality due to cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Youssef Mohammed Al Serkal, Assistant Under-Secretary for the Hospitals Sector, at the ministry and Chairman of the Executive Committee of National Indicators of Cardiovascular Diseases and Cancer, said the third phase of the programme has achieved by training school students on how to promote heart-healthy lifestyles and identifying the local and global magnitude of cardiovascular disease.

The programme also introduced educational principles that contribute to changing negative behaviors and practices and was concluded by a short- and long-term plan for spreading the concepts and changing the environment, guided by the programme teams from the ministry of the health, Al Serkal said He further said the programme comes in line with the Ministry's strategy to provide comprehensive and integrated healthcare services using innovative and sustainable methods, protect the community against diseases and help bring about the UAE Vision 2021.

Dr. Al-Serkal pointed out that the Ministry has several national programmes that serve the national indicators of cardiovascular diseases, including the Critical Congenital Heart Disease, CCHD, screening programme for all newborns, which uses artificial intelligence techniques. A total of 5877 students have been diagnosed since the launches of the programme in Aguste 2018 with a compliance rate of 98.5 percent.

Other programmes include the ‘safe hearts’, which targets students in the Primary stages and provide early detection services for cardiac-related risk factors. All of these initiatives aim to promote a supportive environment for cardiovascular health in schools.

Dr. Mona Al Kuwari, Director of the Specialised Healthcare Department, said the Heart Experts third phase provided students with training on basic principles of cardiovascular health, the success keys towards building physical and personal self through healthy lifestyles and how to implement psycho-education principles and methods in order to change unhealthy habits.

A team of students has set a short and long-term plan to spread concepts and change the surrounding environment, guided by the instructions and support of the Ministry’s team. The final stage included honoring the participating students and endorsing them as a reference for their peers in other educational institutions, she added.