Tiny Hearts launches workshop to draft National Physical Activity Policy and Guidelines

Tiny Hearts of Maldives on Tuesday kicked off a multi sectoral stakeholders consultation workshop to draft the 'National Policy on Physical Activity' and 'Maldives Guidelines on Physical Activity'.

The two-day workshop, being held at Salt Cafe', was contracted to the local NGO by World Health Organisation (WHO) Maldives in collaboration with the Health Protection Agency (HPA). The new policy and guidelines are being drafted in accordance with WHO global recommendations.

The first day of the workshop focussed on drafting the National Policy on Physical Activity. Discussions centred on an overview of the policy, and comments from stakeholders on what they can contribute to the policy.

"The discussions were very rich. We received very valuable contributions from stakeholders that would be impactful for the public and beneficiaries", said Mohamed Nimal, the Executive Manager of Tiny Hearts.

He noted that the workshop participants were very diverse, with representatives from multiple fields including the public health sector, youth council, and government institutions.

The second day of the workshop, slated for Wednesday, will focus on drafting the Maldives Guidelines on Physical Activity. Nimal stated that Tiny Hearts will discuss and receive comments on stakeholders on the recommended guidelines for various age groups, based on best practice and how to apply them within the Maldivian context.

Increasing physical activity is a WHO 'Best Buy' and evidence-based intervention to tackle noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which aims to get a population moving more on a daily basis. This includes increased physical activities across all sectors, including health, social care, transport, urban design, education, sports and recreation, youth, grassroots, media, academic and community.

"Although a wealth of scientific knowledge and international materials on best practices are available, we rely on national expertise to ensure that the course of action for the Maldivian population is an impactful one that creates a systemic and societal shift to make physical activity an integral part of everyday life", stated Tiny Hearts.