Red alert for women

Bahrain City Centre will once more join the global movement to fight heart disease in women by staging health check-ups next weekend.

Last year, more than 500 shoppers took part in the ‘Go Red for Women’ initiative staged at its Central Galleria with tests conducted by medics from King Hamad University Hospital.
 
Blood pressure, blood group, random blood sugar, cholesterol and body mass index were checked and a health tips service was also provided at the stand. 

King Hamad Hospital University’s internal medical physician, Dr Mohamed Mustafa, said: “It was a good experience overall as we got a lot of women coming to the mall for tests.

“They wanted to be checked and asked tons of questions about cardiovascular disease as well as how to keep up a healthy lifestyle.

“We are hoping this year to follow-up and expand on the matter as well as accommodate more people.

“Go Red for Women is a really great project as it teaches women that it’s all about prevention. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is known as the silent killer because you don’t see symptoms often until it’s too late. You develop chest pains and have a heart attack.

‘These are preventable diseases and often all it takes is awareness. If you maintain a good lifestyle and healthy diet you can prevent problems.”

Go Red for Women, founded by the American Heart Association in 2004, is supported annually by more than 30 countries worldwide. With the tagline: ‘This is not a red dress, it is a red alert,’ the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of prevention, diagnosis and control of cardiovascular disease in women.

According to the World Health Organisation, cardiovascular diseases – heart disease and stroke – account for 32 per cent of all deaths in Bahrain, making it the number one cause of death in the country.

It is also known to be the biggest killer of women globally, killing more than all cancers, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.

Duaij Khalifa Al Rumaihi, senior mall manager, Bahrain City Centre, said: “Education in early prevention of diseases is a powerful tool that we can contribute to the community. Due to some misconceptions, some women do not perceive CVD as the greatest threat to their health.  We are calling out to families to encourage all the female members in your home to be a part of this campaign.”

The Bahrain City Centre heart health check-up will take place on May 16 and 17. The campaign is also rolling out across Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ malls in the region, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman.

For more information, visit www.goredforwomen.org