The visitors learn to perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving technique, as part of HMC’s National Sport Day activity at Katara. Pic: Baher Amin / The Peninsula
Doha: The Hamad Medical Corporation’s National Sport Day events yesterday focused on raising awareness and to inspire the community for making long-lasting lifestyle changes.
Activities held at The Pearl-Qatar and Katara Cultural Village highlighted positive effects of sport and physical activity as part of adopting a healthy lifestyle.
Public also had the opportunity to learn how to save a life with Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), a life-saving technique useful in many emergencies, including heart attack or near drowning, in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
Experts at the HMC’s Hamad International Training Centre (HITC) and volunteers conducted CPR demonstrations for children and adults every half an hour at Katara. Every session included around 70 participants. Also the strong link between the regular physical activity and the prevention of several chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and depression was highlighted through awareness programmes and activities.
“The main aim is to remind people the importance of physical wellbeing and health. We remind them that many chronic diseases are related to lack of exercise. Physical activities can prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity or help people with disorders lead a better life,” Dr Khalid Abdulnoor Saifeldeen, Director at HMC’s HITC, told The Peninsula.
Dr Saifeldeen, is also Chairman of ‘Kulluna’ a Health and Safety initiative and he added saying, “As part of Kulluna’s ‘healthy heart’ campaign we are conducting health checks for diabetes, cholesterol, obesity and high blood pressure. We have the Qatar Metabolic Institute focusing on diabetes and obesity. The CPR demonstration sessions are presented in a entertaining way, so everyone enjoys learning it.”
The Tobacco Control Center distributed educational materials and reminded people of the negative impact smoking can cause to health.
Nayef Abboud Al Shammari, Assistant Executive Director of Media at HMC, said, “The sound mind is in the healthy body, this famous Arabic saying has proven its precision in the centuries. This is represented in the wise vision of the state holding an National Sport Day with the participation of everyone in the society and building a healthier community.”
