"Weqaya Workplace Wellness" To Reduce Burden of Morbidity and Mortality in Abu Dhabi

The pilot project which will be carried out in few Abu Dhabi based organisations, aims to build capacity within the workplace to plan, implement and evaluate health promotion programs that address the modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.

The “Weqaya Workplace Wellness” project focuses on the four major prevention factors for cardiovascular disease: healthy eating, physical activity, smoke-free, and stress management.

According to HAAD 2011 Statistics, cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the Abu Dhabi Emirate, responsible for over a quarter of all deaths. Obesity rates were 36% in UAE nationals and 20% among expats, Hypertension followed with 17% among Nationals and 35% among expats, Diabetes rates were 21% among UAE nationals and 18% among expats. Smoking rates were 11% among UAE nationals and 25% among expats.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Asma Al Manaaei, Manager of Community health and Surveillance at HAAD said: "Addressing these diseases and creating conditions for good health is not just the responsibility of the healthcare sector. The settings in which people live, work and play is equally important if not the most important. Workplaces provide ready access to a large number of people, have relatively stable populations, a degree of cohesion, and established channels of communication."

"Employees spend more than a third of their waking hours at work. Healthy employees have higher productivity, better morale and lower health care costs. Employees also appreciate efforts by employers to provide a healthier working environment", Dr. Asmaa added.

Workplace health promotion contributes to employees’ health and wellbeing and workplace wellness by addressing three sets of factors: personal, environmental and organisational.

Addressing personal factors involves improving worker health and wellbeing and reducing risk of illness and injury by developing personal health related knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and skills. Equally important is creating environmental conditions that encourage and enable good health and wellbeing and prevent illness and injury, including conditions in the physical and social environments, as well as policies and regulations.

Finally, addressing organisational factors involves improving job satisfaction and productivity by changing management practices, the way work is organized, internal communication, worker attitudes and perceptions, family-friendly policies, management and accountability.

Lily O’Hara, Section Head, Section Head of Health promotion at HAAD said: "The project idea has received an overwhelming acceptance from organisations in Abu Dhabi. Today we have good number of companies including HAAD that will pilot the project for a full year. HAAD will provide support material, guide booklets and training kits to all participating organisations and will work closely with all of them to create the necessary tools, build the awareness and encourage health promoting environments."

In addition to the Health Authority – Abu Dhabi, Participating workplaces in the pilot phase include UAE University, Abu Dhabi Sewerage Services Company, National Bank of Abu Dhabi, Borouge (Abu Dhabi Polymers Co. Ltd.), Emirates Foundation, Cleveland Clinicand Abu Dhabi Retirement Pension Benefits Fund.