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Globally and in the Middle East, there is a rise in the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) amongst women. Contrary to common belief, it is the number one killer in women as it is prevalent in men. Given the urgency of this spreading health concern, Majid Al Futtaim, the leading shopping mall, retail and leisure pioneer across the Middle East and North Africa, has taken solid action in reaching more women with this year’s Go Red for Women campaign to raise awareness, administer tests, and identify patients at risk.

In only 2 months, 13 Majid Al Futtaim malls in the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon and Oman tested 6,176 women, a 25% increase from last year’s figures, for CVD indicators: blood pressure, blood sugar, Body Mass Index (BMI), and cholesterol. Medical professionals from Majid Al Futtaim’s City Centre Clinic, the American Heart Association and local partners analyzed the test results on the spot and gave professional advice to women on how to prevent CVD by identifying the signs early on and practicing healthy habits, while recommending those who showed signs of risk from the instant in-mall testing for further consultation. As an added feature this year, practitioners trained people on the life-saving skill of CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to be able to use it when needed.

Since 2009, Majid Al Futaim has been the Middle East representative of the global American Heart Association Go Red for Women initiative and the first to bring it to the region. Fuad Mansoor Sharaf, Senior Director, Property Management, Shopping Malls for Majid Al Futtaim– Properties pointed out that “to date, the idea brought forth by Majid Al Futtaim to conduct in-mall testing remains novel and one of its kind in the region. Female shoppers take a few minutes out of their regular shopping errands to stop by the accessible in-mall health booth, greeted by inviting medical professionals who address CVD in a positive light. Differently from the common stigma attached to the issue, Majid Al Futtaim‘s Go Red For Women campaign encourages women -who would otherwise not know or be reluctant to go to a clinic- to take first steps to prevent CVD by getting tested and taking charge of their own health.”

Given the scarcity of recent data, Majid Al Futtaim took additional steps this year to collect demographic data for further analysis by the American Heart Association and the Ministry of Health. “As Majid Al Futtaim’s new healthcare arm, City Centre Clinic’s medical practitioners played an integral role in administering the tests, offering consultations, and collecting data for further analysis by AHA,” commented Omar Al Shunnar, CEO, Majid Al Futtaim – Healthcare. “An up-to-date qualitative and statistical analysis will serve as a valuable asset to the medical field to identify trends specific to women and CVD in the Middle East and to address problem areas,” Omar Al Shunnar added.

For more information on Go Red for Women visit: http://www.goredforwomen.org/