Doha, 12 November 2012: About 45 employees of Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) donned their sportswear and joined a walkathon recently organized by HMC’s Occupational Health and Safety Department in support of the corporation-wide program to promote health and wellness among its employees. The participants assembled in Hamad bin Khalifa Medical City near the Building 18 parking area and went for an energizing thirty-minute walk around the compound. The walkathon was also joined by senior administrative leaders at HMC such as Dr Huda Al Naemi, Executive Director of Occupational Health and Safety which initiated the walkathon, and Mr Hamad Al Khalifa, Group Chief of Facilities and Workforce Development. “We were pleasantly surprised by the number of staffers as well as their families who joined the walkathon. The turnout was much better than we expected considering this is the first time we are holding it and previous concerns about the weather,” said Dr Huda Al Naemi. “We plan to do the walkathon twice a month or every other week, and feel very positive about more people across HMC joining us as this initiative gains momentum.” Dr Al Naemi explained, “We came up with the initiative to encourage HMC employees to be more conscious about their health and well-being. People are not only at HMC to work – being physically active as part of a healthy overall lifestyle is also important, both for the personal well-being of the employees and the well-being of the organization. We believe that the health and wellness of HMC’s employees not only helps increase their productivity at work but directly impacts the quality of healthcare that HMC provides for the community.” “We wanted to motivate people to come out of their offices and accommodations and take part in some beneficial exercise for thirty minutes as they enjoy the afternoon breeze and the pleasant surroundings of Hamad Medical City,” said Leo Dote, Safety Instructor at Occupational Health and Safety. Commenting further on the benefits of exercise, he explained, “Walking is the best exercise and it is one of the easiest ways to stay fit and active. Physical exercise such as walking for even thirty minutes twice a week benefits overall health and well-being by improving blood circulation, promoting stronger bones and mental clarity, and helping to control weight and avoid obesity, which is one of the major health concerns in the region. It is also an excellent way to manage daily stress.” ILQ NEWS

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