Celebrating World Health Day at Beirut Arab University Tripoli Branch

In cooperation with the Ministry of Public Health and Albert Haykel Hospital, the Faculty of Health Sciences at Beirut Arab University - Tripoli Branch celebrated the World Health Day by organizing a scientific activity under the title “Cardiovascular Health: Attributed to Lifestyle or Heredity?” The event was attended by the Vice-President for Tripoli Branch Affairs Professor Khaled Baghdady, Dr. Saeddine Fakhoury, representing Ex-Minister Ashraf Rifi, Chairman of the Nini Hospital, represented by its Director Rabia Turki, Director of the new Mazloum Hospital Elissar Haddad, Dean of the Faculty of Health at Al-Jinan University Dr. Ghazi Tadmori, Chairman of the Health Committee of the Municipality of Tripoli Pharmacist Abdul Hamid Karima, Head of BAU Alumni in the North Ahmed Sankri, BAU directors, heads of departments, Faculty of Health students and a crowd of interested audience. The event started with the Lebanese National Anthem and BAU Anthem followed by the Faculty Director Dr. Nisreen Tadmori’s speech. She pointed out that this ceremony was held on the occasion of World Health Day which coincides with the 70th anniversary of the first World Health Assembly meeting on April 7, 1948. For Tadmori, this event is held to raise awareness of the health problems prevalent in various societies. Therefore, the title of the event “Cardiovascular Health: Attributed to Lifestyle or Heredity?” helps shed light on risk factors through specialized lectures and projects prepared by the students of the Faculty of Health Sciences. Director General of Haykel Hospital, Dr. Nisreen Bazarbashi, spoke about the importance of the role of universities and health faculties in spreading and implementing health awareness and culture in their surroundings and workplaces, and that more activities of this kind should be held with wider participation of all parties, especially hospitals, which can only be achieved through teamwork and dedication to offer our care and services to all. For Professor Baghdady, Beirut Arab University opened its branch in Tripoli to transfer its 57 years of experience to the students of this region. He added that “all of our research is aimed at serving the people of the North to develop and solve the problems of transportation, garbage, water and the environment among others, noting the importance of the hospitals available in Tripoli and the North together with their facilities and expertise.” He, on the other hand, praised the efforts exerted by the students to tackle the subject of the occasion in their projects, describing this act as "the result of their love for their city, region and university." He also asked the parents to be proud of these achievements, saying "we also feel proud of these efforts and achievements, which certifies that the future of Tripoli and Lebanon will be better with the efforts and experiences of our youth." Dr. Wafaa Kanaan, General Coordinator of Primary Health Care at the Ministry of Public Health, reviewed the achievements of the Ministry in “establishing the health care network throughout Lebanon, monitoring the quality of its work, obtaining accreditation from Canadian Agencies and providing preventive services as well as treatment services.” Dr. Rabih Dandashi, Head of the Cardiology Department at Albert Haykel Hospital spoke of "heart diseases ranging from rare congenital problems to the most common problems such as the coronary artery disease, which is the blockage of arteries that feed the heart muscle, leading to a heart attack.” He also pointed to statistics which indicate the high rate of this disease in the world, especially in our Arab society, stressing that prevention is more important than treatment by adopting a healthy lifestyle, such as abstaining from eating saturated fats and smoking, exercising regularly as well as monitoring blood pressure and cholesterol rate" . Then, the attendees toured the exhibition of the projects of the Health Sciences students.