The State of Qatar has put public wellbeing and health at the centre of its development agenda, spending around 11 percent of its total budget on the health sector. The country’s health sector has won accolades for its performance, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic and last year’s FIFA World Cup, when the country hosted around 1.5 million visitors from around the globe.
As Qatar emerged as a top sports hub, policymakers have leveraged the global appeal of sports to promote sustainable development policies and health. Qatar is also among the first countries to dedicate a national day to promote sports and health for all.
Ahead of the World Cup last year, the Ministry of Public Health partnered with the World Health Organization, the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, and FIFA, to promote physical and mental health through the World Cup.
The ‘Sport for Health’ partnership aimed to make the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 a beacon for physical and mental health promotion, and a model for ensuring future mega sport events are healthy and safe.Addressing an event on the sidelines of the ongoing World Health Assembly in Geneva, Minister of Public Health H E Dr. Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari said the Sport for Health initiative has created an unprecedented model for organisers of future mega sports events to follow.
“In 2021, the Sport for Health partners came together to set ambi-tious goals, using the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 as a platform to promote health for people around the world. Sport and health are intrinsically linked, and through the FIFA World Cup, the most watched sporting event in the world, we had a wonderful platform to promote health to communities across the globe.”
The campaign entailed leveraging World Cup’s global spotlight to create awareness on adopting an active and healthy lifestyle, engaging in sports, and eating healthy meals. The MoPH-WHO partnership also aimed to share their experience and results with organisers of future sports events to channel the power of sport to help improve global public health and security.
Good mental health can often be linked to regular physical activity, which includes sports or simply walking and participating in physical activ-ities with others.
This can also help to promote a sense of inclusion and community. Qatar’s efforts to promote health through sports and make sports events inclusive, healthy and safe will go a long in driving sustainable development and global health agenda
