A World Health Organisation (WHO) delegation recently visited the emirate of Sharjah to assess its file within the Healthy Cities Programme. During the WHO team visit, Dr. Abdulaziz Al Muhairi, Director-General of the Sharjah Health Authority and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Expansion of Healthy Cities Programme in Sharjah, affirmed that the emirate’s file has received great support from Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. In addition, the Sharjah Executive Council has been directly monitoring the programme and established the Committee of the Expansion of Healthy Cities Programme.

The WHO delegation was briefed about various files and axes of the programme to explain the details related to the achievement of the set goals.

These goals facilitate the continuation of work and efforts across the emirate to spread the culture of healthy cities and achieve the highest levels of life quality for the people. At the same time, it helped in participating and representing the emirate in various international health seminars and conferences.

The authorities have been ensuring all possible efforts in line with the vision and directives of the Ruler of Sharjah to secure the accomplishments achieved after Sharjah received the title of the first healthy city in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) in 2015.

Furthermore, Dr. Al Muhairi highlighted that the Executive Committee of the programme released the Sharjah file as an application tool to mirror the adoption of the nine standards for healthy cities across all institutions. All institutions and authorities across Sharjah showed their complete cooperation to the initiative.

The WHO delegation hailed the file of Sharjah, noting that Sharjah has become a role model and reference for other cities in line for evaluation. Sharjah has emerged as the first city in MENA countries to fulfil all conditions and criteria of the programme. Sharjah authorities have assured the continuity of development of the facilities and procedures necessary to achieve the desired goals.

The WHO delegation also visited a number of government facilities and entities across Sharjah to review the working mechanism of the emirate's health system and its compliance with the international standards of the programme.

WAM