UAE, January 6, 2018- The Ministry of Health and Prevention recently launched the ‘Art for Health’ competition to raise awareness on lifestyle-related medical conditions and tap into young people’s creativity and innovativeness, to help address the growing health issues in the country. The competition seeks to help realize the objective of UAE Vision 2021 aimed at building a world-class health sector with robust preventive measures to reduce the cases of lifestyle-related diseases in the nation such as obesity, heart ailment, and diabetes. 

To establish a globally accepted local health system, H.E. AbdulRahman bin Mohammed Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, said the “Ministry is continuously strengthening its preventive measures, launching programs reducing lifestyle-related diseases; and building a healthcare system based on UAE Vision 2021, the National Agenda, the Government Excellence System, Smart Government Initiative, the National Strategy for Innovation, and Sustainable Development Strategy 2030.”

H.E. said that the ‘Art for Health’ competition underscores the noble role of the arts, and the  youth, the country’s future leaders, in delivering relevant social messages to wider members of the local society and various community segments about chronic diseases. This initiative is in line with the government’s vision in promoting a culture of innovation according to UAE Vision 2021, which aims to turn the country into a global destination for innovation, especially in the health sector. “When we are innovative, we establish a sustainable investment for our future. This is according to the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, who said, ‘We are thinking in a different way. Many are predicting the future. We are making it.’ We aim to make the UAE an exemplary model for other countries in this regard,” H.E. said. 

H.E. Dr. Hussein Abdel-Rahman Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Health Clinics and Centers, said the competition is also aligned with the Ministry’s initiatives in promoting healthier lifestyles in local communities; providing comprehensive and integrated healthcare solutions delivered in innovative and sustainable ways; and preventing the spread of diseases in cooperation with its partners. The Ministry and its partners formulated the National Strategy for the Control of Non-Communicable Diseases 2017-2021 according to the goals of UAE Vision 2021. The national socio-economic framework envisions a world-class local health system and a broader medical coverage to improve the domestic sector based on approved methods such as the national lifestyle indicators, combating obesity in children and reducing the mortality rate among people with heart disease and diabetes.  

H.E. Dr. Rand further stated that the art competition also aims to encourage young people to come up with their masterpieces in relation to the UAE’s health sector. Through this competition, the government is not only investing in their energy and creativity but it will also be able to get their unconventional perspectives in terms of addressing modern-day health challenges facing the UAE.  According to him, positive health behaviors contribute significantly to the reduction of chronic diseases. 

For her part, Dr. Fadila Mohammed Sharif, Director of Health Education and Promotion, noted that the ‘Art for Health’ competition is another innovative way to raise health awareness and encourage the youth to support , get involved in, and make a difference in the Ministry’s efforts in promoting healthy lifestyle. Dr. Sharif added that the contest is open to people aged 18 to 30. Those who wish to participate in the competition must register on its official website and choose the categories – film, infographics, photography, or graphics - where they want to join. They will need to submit or upload their entries to the website. 

All entries will go through public voting as well as rigorous assessment by a technical committee. They will choose the top 3 entries for each category, then the winners will be announced.