The Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) celebrates World Environment Day, which takes place every year on June 5th. The campaign for World Environment Day 2022, under the theme ‘Only One Earth’, calls for collective, transformative action on a global scale to celebrate, protect and restore our planet.

In this context, Dr. Maryam Abdullah Al-Muslemani, Director at PHCC’s Occupational Health and Safety Department, said: “Qatar has always placed environmental protection and support for sustainable development among its top priorities and has demonstrated its enduring commitment to addressing global environmental challenges on more than one occasion. This can be seen in the development of programs related to promoting sustainability and environmentally friendly programs nationwide, such as green buildings, waste management, including recycling, air quality control, as well as water-related programs, including water quality.”

In September 2021, Qatar's Council of Ministers approved the National Climate Change Plan, a strategic framework reflecting Qatar's long-term sustainability ambitions and the urgent need to respond effectively to the climate crisis and protect the environment for present and future generations. Complementing this role, official and local efforts, represented by government and private sector institutions, joined, and moved ahead with the implementation of these programs and compliance with the relevant laws and legislation.

Dr. Al-Muslemani added that PHCC is one of those institutions who worked to make these programs a priority as the Occupational Health and Safety Department is working to implement these programs within local and international specifications and legislation in all facilities of PHCC and aims to create a society aware of habits that promote environmental safety and reduce the impact of activities on them.

The Department monitors water quality to eliminate or significantly reduce water safety risks, to ensure safe handling of hazardous substances during collection, storage, and disposal, as well as to monitor indoor air quality by assessing chemical and biological standards. In addition to implementing the waste recycling program and applying requirements that ensured its implementation and continuity, in coordination with the Ministry of Municipality and Environment.

Under the above-mentioned theme, ‘Only One Earth’, the Department spread awareness among its staff and their children through a competition containing short information sent by e-mail to all staff. The Department is constantly working to raise awareness among its staff on environmental topics, such as water and electricity conservation, reducing paper waste, and improving indoor air quality in the workplace. It also prepared an intensive awareness campaign by sending e-mails to staff, with the focus on introducing World Environment Day and some activities to preserve the environment.