Even before commemorating World Health Day 2016 on 7 April, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) started promoting a series of events to stimulate healthier lifestyles for students and staff across its schools and fields of operations, with the generous support of the United States. From physical exercise activities and drawing contests to monitoring school canteens for healthy foods and blood sugar testing, the activities and campaigns helped to raise awareness about these issues among over 190,000 Palestine refugees all while having some fun for the children.
“I liked the ‘Green Ball Game’ as it taught us how to keep healthy and clean. It was a very interesting game that we played together,” said 8-year-old Ahmad Abu Harb. “We learnt how to have healthy eating habits, types of healthy food, and also about the importance of exercising. This makes us feel better at school and everywhere”, added the pupil of Baqa’a Co-ed 1 school, in Jordan.
To lessen the impact of non-communicable diseases on individuals and society, including diabetes and hypertension, UNRWA is applying a comprehensive approach to reduce the risks associated with them. To achieve this goal, in March schools in Jordan and Syria launched a two-month healthy lifestyle campaign. The initiative offered an opportunity to raise awareness among education staff, students, refugee communities, host governments, UNRWA partners and donors on how to promote a healthy school environment, as well as how to address health risk behaviours in order to better meet health goals.
“The healthy lifestyle campaign is a valuable resource for reducing the incidence and impact of health problems, for recovery, for coping with the stress of life for refugees, and for improving quality of life,” says Dr. Yassir Turki, the Health Communication and Community-Based Initiative Officer at UNRWA. “A healthy lifestyle is a way of living that lowers the risk factors of serious illness,” he adds.
Thanks to the generous support of the United States, hundreds of other activities were also promoted in Gaza, Lebanon and the West Bank, mobilizing thousands of people to raise awareness on World Health Day.
UNRWA has been providing health care for patients with diabetes and hypertension in its health centres since 1992. Diabetes care, for example, includes screening of high-risk groups, diagnosis and treatment. Treatment includes promoting a healthy lifestyle that includes nutritious food choices and medical assistance, such as medicine and insulin therapy.