MoHAP Participates In GCC Mu’azzaz Project To Promote Healthy Shopping Environments

The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) is actively participating in the GCC 'Mu'azzaz' Project, aimed at promoting healthy shopping malls and centres by 2025. This initiative, launched by the Gulf Health Council with the Gulf Cooperation Council's support, seeks to make healthy behaviours more accessible for visitors and employees in shopping environments.

Shopping centres are encouraged to adopt standards that promote health, enhance community awareness, and support sustainable practices. The project focuses on providing healthy food options, maintaining smoke-free areas, and catering to priority groups like senior citizens, people of determination, women, and children. These efforts align with the UAE’s National Policy for Promoting Healthy Lifestyles.

One of the project's key pillars is encouraging healthy lifestyles through measures such as walking spaces within malls and incentives for regular physical activity. Additionally, it aims to improve health awareness using internal display screens and digital platforms. Rigorous hygiene standards are also a priority, along with ensuring optimal air quality and promoting recycling practices.

Safety and security are crucial components of the initiative. Comprehensive emergency plans, advanced fire alarm systems, and safety checks for elevators and escalators are implemented. Visual contrast at potential risk points is used to enhance safety further. Community engagement is also emphasised through quality services for priority groups, including breastfeeding rooms and accessible parking spaces.

In response to MoHAP’s invitation, several shopping centres in Sharjah and Fujairah have joined the project. The ministry conducted evaluations of these centres in collaboration with partners like Emirates Health Services and Sharjah Health Authority. A Gulf delegation visited these centres in August for external evaluations on compliance with 'Mu'azzaz' criteria.

The methodology of the 'Mu'azzaz' Project is built on six interconnected pillars that guide its implementation. These include fostering private sector participation in public health initiatives while safeguarding the environment inside shopping centres. The framework also prioritises national values and identity reinforcement.

Accreditation Levels

Shopping centres meeting the required standards receive official GCC accreditation at silver, gold, or diamond levels based on their compliance degree. This certification remains valid for three years. Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand from MoHAP highlighted that this project aligns with the ministry’s strategic vision of creating health-supportive environments across daily life aspects.

Dr. Al Rand noted ongoing cooperation with GCC partners to develop a unified evaluation methodology for mall performance assessment. This aims to encourage continuous improvements in awareness, hygiene, safety, and services for priority groups while aligning with the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision focused on prevention and quality of life.

Unified Implementation Approaches

The Ministry is enhancing communication with shopping mall management to raise compliance levels through practical toolkits like measurement guides and checklists. Awareness campaigns are being rolled out across malls alongside expertise exchange with GCC counterparts to unify implementation approaches.

"The Ministry," Dr. Al Rand stated, "in cooperation with its partners, is stepping up efforts to advance health promotion initiatives." He added that these efforts aim to provide regulatory frameworks supported by evidence-based insights from on-the-ground practices.

The joint evaluation results are anticipated to set a regional benchmark for improving shopping environments. This will support broader health sustainability goals within the UAE.

With inputs from WAM