Al Noaimi: "Our initiatives are in line with QNV 2030"Kaldari: "Preserving our employees' well-being and that of their families is crucial"
Doha, May 2012
Qatari Diar Real Estate Investment Company and Lusail Real Estate Development Company joined forces to organize anti-smoking events for their employees as well as workshops to raise awareness on general health issues.
Staff from both companies attended a lecture on the dangers of smoking, in which Dr. Hamad Al Mulla, Head of the Smoking Cessation Clinic at Hamad Medical Corporation, outlined the different techniques that can help smokers quit.
Employees also attended a workshop on preserving general health and managing stress at work. The sessions offered guidance on how staff can assess the status of their general health and how they can support each other to lead healthier lives.
The workshop was co-organized by Doha Takaful and Fitness First Gym, which offered employees of both Qatari Diar and Lusail special packages to help them stay fit.
"Helping our staff stay fit and healthy is one of the company's priorities," said Mr. Abdullatif Mohammed Al Noaimi, Chief Administration Officer at Qatari Diar. "Not only are we looking to contribute to fulfilling Qatar's vision of a healthy society, but we recognize that the high performance and exceptional execution that sets Qatari Diar apart from other companies can only be maintained if we also maintain a healthy lifestyle and sense of well-being, whether in the workplace or at home."
"Our corporate social responsibility towards our employees dictates that we keep them aware and update them regularly about what they need to stay healthy," he added.
Eng. Essa Mohammed Ali Kaldari CEO of Lusail Real Estate Development Company commented, "These two events come as part of our initiatives to provide care to our employees in all forms, whether socially or medically. Keeping our staff and their families fit and aware about smoking cessation is very important to us, because smoking is not only harmful to the individual smoking – its greater harm lies in affecting the general health of the public and, therefore, reducing productivity.
One employee who attended the lecture said he had been a heavy smoker and, despite wanting to quit for a long time, had always lacked the motivation he needed. However, he says, these sessions have given him the tools and the information he needs to know about how and why to stop smoking.
Another employee said: "Even though I'm not a smoker, I learned a lot from this lecture. I have a lot of friends who smoke to whom I now can offer advice and accurate information about just how dangerous smoking is to them and to the community."
Smoking is considered a main cause of chronic diseases, causing several kinds of cancer as well as heart disease and strokes. In Qatar, the percentage of male smokers has reached 32.7% with evidence showing an increase in women smokers. In 2003, in a move to curtail numbers, Qatar banned smoking in public areas.
