DOHA: Qatar is working on a new health strategy as part of efforts to improve the working conditions of labourers and employees, said a senior official of the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) yesterday.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, Director of the Department of Public Health at SCH, said that the new strategy, to be implement in partnership with a German company, will be launched later this year.
Sheikh Mohammed said that the SCH's latest move is part of its continuous efforts to make Qatar one of the best countries in the world in terms of work environment, standards of living and health, reports QNA.
He highlighted that death rates among labour in Qatar, as well as injuries, is among the lowest in the world. He added that some developed countries even have a much higher rate.
Furthermore, the rate of injuries in the workplace is lowering with each year due to the efforts of the state in making sure safety regulations are being followed in the work place.
The director also noted that most of the deaths among labourers were due to heart attacks that took place outside the work place. He said that the majority of workers come from areas of high latitude which lacks Oxygen, and so they are more susceptible to heart attacks.
On the Occupational Safety and Health conference that the council will hold, Sheikh Mohammed said that Qatar has been witnessing unprecedented economic growth, which naturally increases the amount of workforce. As a result, the state is keen to maintain a healthy and efficient workforce.
For his part, Secretary-General of the Qatar Red Crescent, Saleh Al Muhannadi spoke on the importance of the conference and stressed that they will take part in it. He added that the Red Crescent has dozens of health programmes that would be of benefit to citizens and expatriates alike. He added that raising awareness on health plays a role in supporting the goals of Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Peninsula
