Sidra Medicine proudly introduced its first group of Qatari health promoters. The six promoters recently joined Sidra Medicine’s Health Promotion team after having completed their Postgraduate Diplomas in Healthcare Promotion from the College of the North Atlantic in Qatar.
The health promoters, whose postgraduate education was sponsored by Sidra Medicine, will be working closely with registered health professionals and key partners in Qatar. They will contribute to the planning, development, delivery and evaluation of community health and wellbeing programs in the country.
Prof. Mary Boyd, Chief Nursing Officer of Sidra Medicine stated, “We are really proud of the first team of Qatari health promoters who have joined Sidra Medicine. They are already playing an important role in helping spread awareness about key health issues affecting the local population. By engaging and providing one-to-one support as well as presenting information to facilitate healthy choices and healthy lifestyles – the promoters will help educate and support the community to improve their health and wellbeing. By putting Qatari health promoters forward into the community, we are also customizing our approach of sharing information and offering counsel in ways which are culturally appropriate. We are confident that they will be an inspiration for those considering careers in healthcare education and promotion.”
Joining the Sidra Medicine Health Promotion team are:
Fatima Abdulaziz Al-Muhamadi graduated from Qatar University in 2010 in Biomedical Sciences. “I am looking forward to making a difference in healthcare in Qatar and helping people to change and adopt healthy behaviors. I believe health education is a milestone in reaching people and changing behaviors. I am very interested in road safety and obesity and am looking forward to enhancing my knowledge to address these issues effectively.”
Fatima Al-Maslamani has a degree in Biological Sciences from Qatar University, graduating in 2009. She received the ‘President Medal for Academic Excellence’ whilst studying for the postgraduate diploma in patient education from College of North Atlantic-Qatar this year. She has also spent two years working in evidence-based healthcare at Sidra Medicine which gave her valuable knowledge to develop professionally. “I want to help people understand more about diseases and most importantly being in charge of their own health. I like the fact that we are approachable and can break down complex messages into an easy to understand format and style. This makes it easier to share health based messages within the community. It is very motivating when you can actually see other women responding to you with questions and requests for more information.”
Amna Al-Mohannadi graduated with a BA in English from Qatar University in 1996. “As a former teacher, I find that education is a great way to spread awareness and now in my role as a health promoter, I find it equally enriching to service my community. I am keen on spreading awareness about important health issues here in Qatar, such as diabetes, obesity, asthma and cancer.”
Noof Al-Taweel graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA in Childhood Education. “Health promotion is a broader aspect of prevention. I am looking to implement behavioral change theory into healthcare practice and evaluate the outcomes using an evidence-based approach.”
Amal Faiz Alfarsi graduated from Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2004 with a degree in Physiotherapy, followed by a Masters’ in Healthcare Management in RCSI-Dubai in 2013. “I want to be a part of Qatar’s healthcare journey and play role in providing high quality healthcare services in the community. I also want to improve people’s perceptions regarding healthcare and give them the knowledge and information so that they can play a key part in managing their own health and well-being.”
Asmaa Al-Amari graduated from College of North Atlantic-Qatar in 2008 with a High Diploma in Medical Imaging. “I joined Sidra Medicine because I wanted to play a role in being able to make a difference so that every individual becomes an advocate for their health and wellbeing. I am looking forward to working with the rest of my colleagues at Sidra Medicine to provide great health services and educating the community.”
The health promoters have already started to work closely within the community. They recently hosted an information session at Qatar University – sharing health based messages with female students attending a breast cancer awareness workshop. The event was in collaboration with Qatar Cancer Society and the Community Relations and Student Outreach teams from Sidra Medicine. Plans are underway to host more workshops and information sessions for other health related topics.
For updates on future workshops and information sessions from Sidra Medicine, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SidraMedicalAndResearchCenter or follow us on https://twitter.com/sidra.