Qatari Prioritizes Health In Its National Strategy, HE Minister of Health Says

Doha , April 07 (QNA) - HE Minister of Health and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) Abdulla Bin Khalid Al Qahtani said Sunday that the State of Qatar under the leadership of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani prioritizes the health sector in Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Qatar National Health Strategy 2011-2016. HE the Minister gave a speech on World Health Day that chose High Blood Pressure as this year's theme. The World Health Day is celebrated on April 7 of each year to commemorate the founding of the World Health Organization on the same day of 1948. HE the Minister stressed in his speech that promoting a healthy lifestyle will lead to prevention from chronic diseases. As part of its effort to combat chronic diseases like high-blood pressure, Qatar, in cooperation with the World Health Organization, did a survey of chronic non-communicable diseases in the country. The results revealed that 33% of the sample, 2496 Qataris aged between 18-64, suffered from high-blood pressure. HE the Minister said that the survey was part of the State of Qatar's effort to have a database that can help improve health services and develop a comprehensive health strategy for prevention and control of chronic diseases. (QNA)