21 February 2023, Muscat – Familial hypercholesterolemia is a common life-threatening genetic disorder. It increases the risk of heart disease and early heart attacks, and its threat is not limited to older people, as it also affects children and can result in increased risk of heart disease or stroke at an early age. Children with familial hypercholesterolemiado not exhibit signs of the disease until they are older but some may develop signs as young as 3 years old. It should be noted that familial hypercholesterolemia may be more prevalent in Oman due to consanguineous marriages, which represent 50-55% of all marriages.
Joint efforts by The Ministry of Health, The Ministry of Education, The Oman Society of Lipid and Atherosclerosis (OSLA), and the World Health Organization, collaborated to introduce an FH short video competition to educate and raise awareness at a country level.
The video competition supported advocacy for school children addressing health and the importance of recognizing the signs and symptoms of FH. By taking part in health competitions, schools can also encourage students to adopt healthier lifestyles that will help reduce their risk of developing FH in the future, inspire students to take initiative in learning more about the disorder, and be creative.
Each school was expected to produce a video of no more than two minutes in length that creatively and accurately describes FH, its effects, and how it is managed. The videos were judged on criteria such as creativity, accuracy, and overall production quality.
Dr Jean Jabbour, The World Health Organization Representative to Oman, remarked: “This competition served as an important reminder about the need for early diagnosis and treatment of this genetic condition. By raising awareness about this condition, we can help ensure that individuals and families affected by it get the help and support they need. By educating the public about this condition, we can work to reduce the stigma associated with it and help create a more inclusive and supportive enviroment for those affected by it. ”
The Ministry of Education hosted the ceremony to celebrate the competition winners. The joyous occasion was under the auspices of Mr. Mr.Hamed bin Ali bin Hamed Al-Sarhani, Educational Administration Adviser for Her Excellency the Minister of Education, and attended by all partners.
Celebrating their success the winners were presented with awards and received much praise and congratulations from the audience. It was a great opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of all the participants. After the ceremony concluded, all contributors were recognized as a fitting tribute to those who had worked hard to have a succesfeul competition.
