The inauguration is under the auspices of His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mane',
On Tuesday, 10/9/1427H, falling on 3/10/2006.
Time: 10 pm
Place: Radisson SAS Hotel
There is no doubt that primary healthcare is the cornerstone in building up a healthy society. A closer look at the MOH's activities and endeavors in all health fields (treatment, prevention and rehabilitation) reveals, leaving no room for doubt, that the Ministry, headed by His Excellency the Minister of Health, Dr. Hamad bin Abdullah Al-Mane', May Allâh protect him, has been making massive efforts meant to promote the health services provided for our people. To that end, the Ministry has developed a strategy with the aim to accomplish the aspirations of the Kingdom's leaders, May Allâh protect them, attain the highest global health standards in providing services for all the citizens and residents of our dear country. This is expected to be embodied in health securing covering all those living in Saudi Arabia wherever they are.
Proceeding form the Ministry's keen interest in raising health awareness, being one of the most important and effective means of shedding light on the preventive aspect which is crucial for overcoming diseases, the Media and Health Awareness General Department has devoted a considerable part of its efforts to launching and activating the national awareness campaigns that contributed a great deal to raising people's health awareness of all the infectious and non-infectious diseases. The Department, in this vein, has organized a number of national awareness campaigns, including but not confined to the National Campaign against Overweight and Obesity, the National Campaign to Combat Colon and Rectal Cancers, as well as the campaigns to combat cancer of the lung, breast and lymphoma, in addition to the viral hepatitis.
Today, coinciding with the Osteoporosis World Day, and in an endeavor to overcome this disease that silently devours our bodies, thus threatening people of both genders and at all ages, continually affecting their lifestyles and productivity, the National Osteoporosis Awareness Campaign is launched with the aim to combat this disease by raising health awareness among those suffering (or susceptible to suffering) from it, and educating them about its nature, and how to avert it, as well as the most effective curative means.
In a little while, His Excellency the Minister of Health will be announcing the inauguration of the National Osteoporosis National Campaign, which is projected to last for 6 months, covering all the Kingdom's regions and province, under the theme: “Immunize your Bones!”. It seeks, in the first place, to raise the awareness of Saudi women, as well as the Saudi society at large, with regard to the risk of this disease, and the importance of undergoing specialized examination to detect it, in addition to scheduling the key events of its treatment and prevention. This is carried out through a number of well calculated mechanisms developed by a constellation of experts, with the aim to attain the objective assigned to this campaign.
Magnitude of the Problem:
The magnitude of osteoporosis in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is not identified. Many physicians and specialists, however, are of the viewpoint that osteoporosis patients among Saudis are on the increase, due to the alteration of Saudi's lifestyle and food habits. This increase, they expect, will continue unless effective steps towards the prevention of the disease are taken soon.
A study conducted at King Khaled University Hospital has shown that 58% of Saudi pre-menopausal women suffer from osteoporosis.
Another study, conducted on 483 Saudi ladies, showed that osteoporosis is common among Saudi women at the menopausal age, and should be, accordingly, taken into account.
Major Objective of the Campaign:
The campaign seeks to raise awareness among women particularly, and the society on the whole, through awareness and educational symposiums and campaigns, and how to avert it, as well as underscoring the necessity of undergoing the bone-density test, entrenching the culture of walking, as it is one of the effective means of prevention of osteoporosis.
Temporal and Geographical Scope of the Campaign:
Six months, covering all the Kingdom's regions and provinces.
Targeted Groups:
All segments of society, especially women.
Awareness Messages Strategy:
Paying thorough attention to raising the awareness of the targeted groups as regards how to avert osteoporosis, placing particular emphasis on:
- Exercise
- Proper nutrition
- Exposure to sunlight during sunrise and sunset
Following are some awareness messages to be sent to the targeted groups:
- Set off to protect your bones.
- Since life is irreplaceable, immunize your bones.
- Stand firmly in the face of osteoporosis.
- One hour exercise protects you from osteoporosis.
- Your skeleton is like a building, don't demolish it by negligence.
- Stronger skeleton for a better life.
- A little milk protects you from osteoporosis.
Media Strategy:
Many awareness methods and mass media are going to be enlisted, including symposiums, lectures, televised messages and publications, as well as the examination campaigns.
Following are some of the activities of the campaign:
- Organizing educational female symposiums aiming to raise their awareness on the reasons and prevention of this disease, especially in female agglomerations, like charities, in cooperation with the involved authorities.
- Preparing health awareness publications, to be disseminated to all the members of the society through the Ministry's primary health centers.
- A series of awareness brochures have already published, including:
- Overview on Osteoporosis
- Awareness of the Ways to Avert Osteoporosis
- FAQ on Osteoporosis
- Colorful stories for children.
- Posters and roll-ups, to be distributed to the different health sectors, including primary health centers.
- Making available of the bone-density tests at markets and overcrowded places.
- Publishing press material in newspapers and magazines on the disease generally, and the campaign particularly.
- Advertising campaign in newspapers and magazines.
- 30-second televised bulletins to be broadcasted through the various channels.
- Sending awareness messages (sms), on mobile phones.
- Sending awareness e-mails to all the users of 'Yahoo' and 'Hotmail', as well as the websites of the different hospitals, ministries and private sector.
- Disseminating leaflets in parks, associations, health clubs, gymnasium centers, health centers, private clinics, pharmacies, universities and educational and training centers.
- Preparing the Media Information Center to receive and answer the inquiries of submitted through the phone number: 01/2916754, or the toll-free number: 8002494444.
- Establishing a website for the campaign: www.moh.gov.sa/hashasha
Involved Authorities:
Assistant Agency for Preventive Medicine
Assistant Agency for Curative Medicine
MOH's Nutrition General Department
Saudi Osteoporosis Society (SOS)
Saudi Osteoporosis Club (SOC)
Ministry of Education
General Presidency of Youth Welfare
Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs
Ministry of Civil Defense
Ministry of Higher Education
Ministry of Culture and Information
His Excellency the Minister of Health gave his directives to pay colossal attention to the Osteoporosis World Day, falling on October 20, as well as activating the various events and activities of this day, by all the responsible authorities, such as:
Heath affairs directorates.
Primary healthcare centers.
Hospitals.
Assistant Agency for Preventive Medicine.
Assistant Agency for Curative Medicine.
MOH's Nutrition General Department.
Assessment of the Campaign:
The Media and Health Awareness General Department, represented by the Studies and Research Unit, and the Media Information and Health Awareness Center, is planning for the preparation of a study on the incidence of osteoporosis among the members of the Saudi society, with all its segments, in cooperation with the involved authorities, so as to find out to what extent the campaign is a success.