Baghdad 22 December 2018 – The National Strategy for School Health 2018-2022 was launched on 19 December 2018 under the patronage of Minister of Health and Environment Dr Alaa Alwan.
Among the Ministry of Health officials attending the launch event at the Babylon Hotel were Dr Ryadh Abdul Ameer from the Public Health Directorate, Dr Ihsan Jaafar from the Inspection Directorate, Dr Ramzi Rasool from the International Health Department and Dr Arwa Abdul Khaliq, Director of School Health.
Member of Baghdad Provincial Council Ms Mahdia Abdel Hassan also attended, as did officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, Ministry of Higher Education, Ministry of Planning and Ministry of Sport and Youth, and representatives from local NGOs.
The session was opened by Dr Ryadh Abdul Ameer who stressed that the Ministry of Health “is keen to implement plans to improve health services in cooperation with the relevant authorities in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals”.
“The Strategy’s vision,” explained Dr Arwa Abdul Khaliq, “is a school society that enjoys comprehensive, sustainable and quality healthcare based on inclusiveness, equality, human rights and community response.”
The goal of the Strategy, she pointed out, is “to promote the health of the school society so as to ensure better education” by prioritizing school health in the national health system, providing quality and comprehensive health services that meet the needs of the school community and are suitable for people with disabilities, ensuring a safe, healthy and encouraging learning environment and building a school community that is knowledgeable about risk factors and diseases and able to enhance the health of its members.
Technical expert at WHO Iraq Dr Hanan Hasan stressed that the concept of health extends to fields beyond the direct control of the health sector such as the environment, water and sanitation, education, agriculture, trade, tourism, housing and security.
“Education is a key social determinant of health and makes a major contribution to people's perception of health risks and how to avoid them. Schools are important sites for the protection and promotion of health, with large numbers of children through which families and society can be reached,” said Dr Hasan.
Ensuring sustainable financial resources, updating and maintaining school health information and periodic monitoring and evaluation of all activities in a systematic manner are essential to implementing the National Strategy for School Health.
