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Arab Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait leads final phase of wellness mall assessments in the Gulf
KUWAIT CITY, July 20: In a move aimed at elevating public health standards across commercial spaces, Kuwait's Ministry of Health, through its Healthy Cities Office, has launched the final evaluation phase of the 'Muazez' initiative — a health-promoting malls program within Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The announcement came during a press briefing on Sunday by Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, Director of the Healthy Cities Office, who explained that the evaluation phase precedes the announcement of the top-performing malls participating in the regional initiative. The evaluation is supervised by the Joint Gulf Committee for Healthy Cities and supported by the Gulf Health Council. Dr. Al-Yahya noted that the initiative is part of broader joint Gulf efforts to improve public health environments in urban and commercial spaces. 'Kuwait has been actively involved in the initiative since 2023 and has already accredited six malls as health-promoting,' she said. The current evaluation involves both regional and local evaluators, including visiting assessors from other GCC countries. Among the malls being evaluated this year are The Promenade, The Avenues, and 360 Mall—all of which have taken steps to enhance their environments to promote healthier lifestyles for visitors. Evaluation specialist Amira Al-Arimi, from the Sultanate of Oman, praised Kuwait's leadership in the initiative. 'This is my third visit to Kuwait for the Muazez initiative. Kuwait played a vital role in developing the guideline framework that shapes the program,' she said, adding that the initiative aligns with community-based health strategies endorsed by the World Health Organization. Representing the private sector, Director of Dar Al-Othman, Abdullah Al-Othman, spoke about Promenade Mall's participation. He emphasized the mall's commitment to providing a safe and healthy environment through activities such as wellness campaigns, blood donation drives, and the establishment of the Al-Othman Ambulance Center in April. 'The Promenade received gold-level accreditation in the first phase of Muazez,' said Al-Othman. 'We see our participation as a key part of our corporate social responsibility and ongoing efforts to support public health.' The Ministry of Health had previously hosted the 24th meeting of the GCC's Gulf Committee last June, which focused on the development of health-promoting commercial communities. The event also included a training session for initiative evaluators, along with field visits to participating shopping centers. The Muazez initiative continues to serve as a model for integrating public health into everyday life, reflecting the growing commitment of GCC nations to foster wellness in shared urban spaces.
Arab Times
24-06-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait conducts training on advancing health-promoting malls across the GCC
KUWAIT CITY, June 24: The Healthy Cities Office at Kuwait's Ministry of Health launched a Gulf training course aimed at building the capacity of evaluators involved in assessing health-promoting shopping malls across the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. The two-day program, which began on Tuesday, includes both theoretical sessions and field visits to malls that have successfully passed previous evaluation stages. In her opening remarks, Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, Director of the Healthy Cities Office, highlighted the course's focus on establishing standardized measurement tools and evaluation mechanisms. She emphasized the importance of developing the necessary skills and considerations for evaluators in promoting public health through healthy environments. Dr. Al-Yahya explained that the Health-Promoting Shopping Centers and Malls Initiative, known as 'Muazaz,' represents a model for implementing the Healthy Cities Initiative's vision. The initiative aims to enhance public health by addressing social determinants of health and creating environments conducive to well-being. The course features Kuwait's experience with the Muazaz initiative as a practical model, providing trainees with exposure to both office-based and on-site evaluations. Dr. Al-Yahya noted that the training is aligned with the unified Gulf guide endorsed by the Joint Gulf Committee for Healthy Cities. She described the Muazaz initiative as a framework designed to encourage shopping malls to invest in health promotion. The framework has been approved by GCC health ministries and supports malls in enhancing health-friendly environments, making them eligible for official recognition as health-promoting centers. Dr. Al-Yahya also stressed the importance of transforming shopping spaces into environments that promote healthy living, particularly by supporting vulnerable groups such as individuals with disabilities, infants, pregnant and nursing women, and the elderly. Dr. Laila Al-Fuzaie, Director of the Healthy Mall Project at the Healthy Cities Office, echoed the initiative's significance in fostering public health and providing shoppers with a healthy and comfortable experience. She said Kuwait's development vision includes promoting community health beyond traditional healthcare services by building supportive environments that encourage healthy lifestyles. Dr. Al-Fuzaie pointed out that the Health-Promoting Mall Initiative has demonstrated the potential for integrating public health into daily life through strategic partnerships. She called for its expansion to all shopping malls and the integration of technology in raising health awareness. She also outlined the initiative's objectives, implementation standards, challenges faced, and key achievements — notably, the rise in health awareness among mall visitors. In conjunction with the training, Kuwait's Ministry of Health hosted the 24th meeting of the Joint Gulf Committee for Healthy Cities on Monday. The committee reviewed progress on the Health-Promoting Malls Project and discussed advancing from national implementation to a unified Gulf-level initiative.
Arab Times
08-02-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Kuwait to host the second Conference on Healthy Cities
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 8: The Healthy Cities Office at the Ministry of Health in Kuwait has announced the second Kuwait Conference on Healthy Cities, under the slogan "Healthy Cities for Sustainable Development," which will take place on Monday. The event will be held under the patronage of Health Minister Dr. Ahmad Al-Awadhi, with Dr. Hanan Balkhi, the Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO), also in attendance. In a statement issued on Saturday, Dr. Amal Al-Yahya, Head of the Healthy Cities Office, noted that the conference will coincide with the tenth anniversary of the office's establishment and the launch of the Healthy Cities Initiative in Kuwait. This milestone provides a chance to reflect on the progress made, including the registration of 19 cities and the accreditation of 10, with one city having been accredited for the second time. Dr. Al-Yahya explained that the conference, which will run through Wednesday, will celebrate several successful initiatives. These include the accreditation of Sabah Al-Salem University as a Health City and the accreditation of four health-promoting commercial complexes. The event will also feature the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with key government sectors to further strengthen strategic partnerships. Additionally, more than 1,000 community members have been trained on the skills necessary to meet healthy city standards. The conference will highlight various models of the Healthy Cities Initiative from GCC countries and the wider region. It will offer valuable insights from experts in community health, urban sustainability, and data collection, while also focusing on the development of health profiles for cities. Dr. Al-Yahya added that the conference will bring together international and regional experts to engage in lectures, workshops, and an interactive exhibition. This will provide an opportunity for the exchange of ideas between healthy cities and showcase the services offered by various sectors, including government, private organizations, and civil society.
