New UAE Health drive aims for a Guinness World Records Title

One Heart Health Community bids to screen 7,025 people in 8-hours to launch cardiovascular disease awareness campaign

Dubai, UAE, 21 May 2014:  UAE residents could break a Guinness World Records title for a new health initiative being launched next week in the fight against cardiovascular disease.

Established to educate UAE residents about heart related illnesses, communicate the common risk factors, and drive home the importance of a healthy lifestyle, the One Heart Health Community is staging the record attempt next Sunday (25 May) at The Dubai Mall.

Guinness World Records representatives will be on hand to monitor the attempt as more than 80 nurses perform simple blood sugar level tests on Mall-goers to determine the presence or risk of diabetes.

At least 7,025 people will need to take part in the eight-hour screening to break the current Guinness World Records title of ‘most blood glucose level tests - 8 hours'.

“We’re urging UAE residents to turn out in force and support this new initiative to help tackle cardiovascular disease, which is the world’s biggest single killer and accounts for a quarter of deaths in the UAE,” said Mohamed Hammad, Founder and Managing Director at Benchmark Middle East FZ-LLC, the initiator of One Heart Health Community.

“It would be a great achievement to break Guinness World Records title here in Dubai, but our primary focus is to spread the word to as many people as possible that heart disease can be prevented if positive changes are made in our daily lives.”
The current world record is held by the Turkish Diabetes Foundation, who screened 7,024 people over an eight-hour period at an event at the Hidayet Türkoglu sports complex in Istanbul, Turkey in 2012.

The Dubai Mall attracts around 200,000 people daily and UAE residents are being encouraged to visit the Star Atrium between 1pm-9pm for Sunday’s diabetes screening.  At least 40 nursing stations will be distributed across the atrium and a team of medical experts will be on hand to provide information and advice throughout. More information can be found at www.OHHC.me. 

Endorsed by Emirates Cardiac Society, the screening event is launching an awareness campaign, aimed at educating people about the importance of a healthy lifestyle and providing information and support for how individuals can overcome the risk factors surrounding heart-related illnesses in the UAE.

The One Heart Health Community is also looking to attempt two other Guinness World Records titles in the coming year for most blood pressure readings and most cholesterol readings.  

“We want to provide a direct personal experience through these screening events and initiate an interactive communication with our target audience to ensure people are made aware about the importance of cardiovascular disease,” said Mohamed Hammad. “With smoking, stress, junk food and lack of exercise all playing key roles in creating the onset of heart disease in the UAE 15 years sooner than in the West, educating residents in the region is more important than ever.”

One Heart Health Community has partnered with Merck Serono Middle and Near East, a recognised biotechnology and pharmaceutical chemistry leader and the oldest pharmaceutical company with more than 300 years’ experience. The company aims to partner with the health care communities to create a greater awareness about health campaigns.

Caption:    The One Heart Health Community - aiming to save lives in the UAE.

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