ABU DHABI, 27th September, 2025 (WAM) -- Emirati doctors launched the National Initiative to Promote Heart Health under the slogan "Do Not Miss the Beat" during the opening ceremony of the National Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation hosted in Abu Dhabi.
The launch coincides with World Heart Day, which falls on 29th September each year. The initiative is a joint effort by the Emirates Programme for Medical Readiness and Response (Jaheziya), the Emirates Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, and the Emirates Society for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, under the supervision of the Emirates Medical Reserve Team and the Emirates Heart Ambassadors, in coordination with government and private health institutions across the country.
The initiative aims to raise awareness about the importance of heart health and the immediate intervention of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, to support access to life-saving care, to train and enhance the readiness and efficiency of emergency response teams, and to encourage heart-healthy lifestyles among all segments of society in accordance with the best international practices and standards.
Cardiac surgeon Dr. Adel Al Shamry Al Ajmi, President of Emirati Doctors, President of Jaheziya, and Chairman of the Emirates Society for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, stated in his opening speech at the National Conference on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation that more than 17 million people die annually from cardiovascular-related conditions.
He added that heart disease is the leading cause of death locally, accounting for 22% of all deaths in the country - the highest among all causes - which calls for united efforts to adopt innovative initiatives that make a tangible and sustainable impact on the performance and readiness of medical teams in responding to cardiac emergencies according to the highest global standards.
He added that the National Initiative to Promote Heart Health was officially launched through a coalition of government, private, and non-profit institutions to adopt a series of innovative initiatives. These include the regular organisation of national heart forums, the adoption of a specialised national cardiac training program, the establishment of the National Academy for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, the launch of a national campaign for early detection of heart diseases using mobile cardiac clinics and a field heart hospital, the launch of the UAE Heart Award and Medal, and the adoption of the UAE Heart Ambassadors Programme.
Dr. Al Shamry stated that the initiative focuses on two main axes:
The Community Axis: aims to adopt initiatives to increase community awareness about major heart diseases and the best preventive and therapeutic approaches.
The Professional Axis: focuses on building readiness and capacities of the first line of defense among healthcare workers, including doctors, nurses, paramedics, and first responders, with accreditation from the Emirates Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, the Arab Council for Cardiopulmonary and Pulmonary Resuscitation, and the European Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
He emphasised that the launch of the National Initiative to Promote Heart Health came after the successful pilot phase of Jaheziya, which trained thousands of first-line responders in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and in managing cardiac emergencies through a unified, internationally accredited curriculum. This was part of a national strategic plan to enhance the skills of 30,000 medical, nursing, and paramedical personnel in resuscitation, trauma, emergency, and disaster response, with accreditation from leading global health institutions and prestigious universities, along with other renowned international centers of expertise.
Dr. Ahmed Samir, Founding Member of the Emirates Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Head of the Emergency Medical Services Department at Fatima College of Health Sciences, emphasised the importance of the National Initiative to Promote Heart Health in both its medical and community dimensions. He highlighted its role in advancing the healthcare sector by building capacities, competencies, and readiness according to the best standards through various programmes and activities targeting the first line of defense in government and private hospitals.
These programmes, he added, shed light on heart diseases and their treatment and prevention methods and encourage health institutions to adopt unified protocols for healthcare workers and to create environments that help maintain the health and performance of medical staff through continuous education programmes.
He noted that the initiative will contribute to increasing public awareness of major heart diseases and the best preventive and therapeutic approaches by organising diverse activities for different segments of society and employees in their workplaces. These include lectures, awareness workshops, community training courses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and various health screenings such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol level checks, in collaboration with the UAE Heart Ambassadors and the volunteer medical teams of the Emirates operating mobile cardiac clinics and the field heart hospital as part of an operational plan covering various emirates of the country.
Dr. Saeed Al Hindi, Medical Director of Jaheziya, stated that administrative, operational, medical, and logistical teams have been designated to oversee the National Initiative to Promote Heart Health, which will continue for one year as a first phase. The goal is to achieve tangible health, social, and economic impacts and to present an innovative model of joint action between government, private, and non-profit institutions to adopt integrated and unprecedented health and community initiatives.
He pointed out that cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by adopting training, awareness, and preventive initiatives to improve the performance of first responders and various segments of society, thereby enhancing access to cardiac healthcare.
He emphasised that the National Initiative has launched a series of programs aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals to prevent, through prevention and treatment, avoidable premature deaths caused by non-communicable diseases. As cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, it is natural for Jaheziya to address this challenge by designing, managing, and operating a comprehensive national program to promote heart health in partnership with government, private, and non-profit institutions.
He stated that the National Initiative is the result of cooperation between Jaheziya, the Emirates Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, and the Emirates Society for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation to control and prevent diseases, aiming to enhance the capabilities of medical and community personnel to prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases.
He noted that this initiative seeks to address the leading cause of death globally - cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. For a long time, these conditions were considered diseases of the wealthy and developed countries, but they have now become a global issue affecting all nations. Through the Heart Health Promotion Initiative, the goal is to increase attention to this issue, work to prevent and combat its causes, and improve early detection and the management of these diseases.
Professor Olivier Jacquin, Director of the World Council of Interventional Cardiac Surgeons, emphasised that high blood pressure, which often results from unhealthy behaviors, is a major contributor to these diseases. It frequently goes undetected and, without detection, does not receive the necessary care and thus remains untreated. Therefore, there is a need to improve the detection of high blood pressure in mobile clinics across the country and to ensure appropriate response. This means enhancing access to medications, which will significantly help reduce cardiovascular diseases.
He stressed that the organising committee of Jaheziya, in collaboration with the Emirates Council for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, will provide the technical and training support needed to implement and expand interventions to prevent high blood pressure and reduce heart attacks and strokes through the adoption of unified, internationally accredited training methodologies based on the best global practices.
