3.3.2 Health outreach programmes

King Abdulaziz University is dedicated to providing health awareness and education to all individuals. The university engages its students in organizing educational and awareness events and activities both on and off campus, including in public places accessible to everyone. This effort is supported by specialized staff from the university, either as one-time events or as part of a continuous program.

The Center for Health Promotion and the health colleges at King Abdulaziz University, in addition to providing educational, research, and healthcare services, also offer social services. Each college has a community service unit that focuses on delivering awareness and educational programs, as well as voluntary health services in various fields aimed at improving and promoting health and well-being. These areas include disease prevention, personal hygiene, physical activity, and other topics related to health and well-being.

These services are offered free of charge to all members of the local community, including the underprivileged, refugees, those in need, low-income individuals, and special groups. Services are provided through events held in public areas that are easily accessible to everyone or through field visits.

Health Promotion Center: (link)

The Health Promotion Center at King Abdulaziz University is a specialized unit dedicated to improving quality of life and promoting public health for the university’s students, staff, and the broader community. The center aims to deliver innovative health programs and initiatives based on best scientific practices, focusing on prevention and health awareness. It also works on developing and implementing strategies that encourage healthy lifestyles, contributing to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 and the Quality of Life Program 2020 by empowering individuals and the community to adopt sustainable and healthy living practices.

Objectives

•   Protecting and promoting public health through effective data-driven interventions

•   Preventing diseases and reducing their burdens by promoting healthy lifestyles.

•   Organizing forums, training courses, seminars, and workshops that support health promotion.

•   Supporting health research and applying its findings to improve the quality of life.

•   Raising community health awareness through educational programs.

Among the center’s key activities:

As part of the Ministry of Education’s initiatives to promote social responsibility at King Abdulaziz University, the event “Children’s Health: Toward a Vibrant Community and an Ambitious Nation” was held on Sunday, June 10, 2024.

The event was the result of collaboration between the Department of Family Medicine at the College of Medicine, the University Hospital, the Center for Health Promotion, and the “We Show Mercy to Our Young Ones” Committee. The initiative stood out by offering a variety of educational, awareness, and preventive services related to children’s health. A total of 180 medical students participated, contributing to the establishment of more than 12 booths that addressed diverse topics related to child health and development. The event also featured the provision of health services and specialized medical consultations, along with early preventive screenings for children and the referral of cases requiring follow-up to specialized clinics.

Through this initiative, King Abdulaziz University aims to enhance health awareness, promote early prevention, and improve the quality of life for children in the Saudi community.(link)

The Dean of the College of Medicine inaugurated the “Ma’i Mudrik” campaign at Red Sea Mall on Friday and Saturday, January 26–27, 2024. The campaign was organized under the supervision of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit and the Internal Medicine Society, with oversight from Prof. Mahmoud Mousli and participation from the Internal Medicine Club. The campaign aims to raise awareness about inflammatory bowel disease and improve the quality of life for those affected. It targeted all segments of the local community through a variety of specialized educational and awareness activities. (link)

Community Service Unit at the College of Medicine:

The unit works on providing services that include charitable care, education, training, partnerships, and consultations.

Unit Objectives:

- Partnering with other university colleges to expand community service.

- Utilizing technology and social media to raise awareness and document our impact.

- Organizing regular courses and events to enrich community knowledge.

- Creating tools to measure and evaluate our programs.

- Officially recognizing and reporting volunteer efforts.

- Building relationships with employers, companies, and charitable organizations.

- Offering health awareness and education programs.

- Supporting and developing volunteer work and service.

- Empowering charitable care and programs.

- Recruiting more volunteer doctors.

For more information, click here.

The College of Medicine has a Charitable Treatment Department:

Vision and Mission of the Department:

Driven by the spirit of cooperation and social solidarity, and with the aim of promoting health, we strive to provide comprehensive health, social, and awareness services to patients in need with low incomes. This is achieved through offering social support, meeting their medical needs, and raising community awareness to achieve comprehensive and sustainable health development.

Community Service Unit at the College of Dentistry:

Vision:

To be a leader in the field of community service in dentistry at the local, regional, and global levels.

Mission: 

To contribute to improving oral health at the local, regional, and global levels.

Objectives:

- To coordinate between the agencies, departments, and units within the college and the University Dental Hospital to offer community initiatives and events in the field of oral health.

- To engage with government and private sectors to launch community initiatives and events related to oral health.

- To instill the value of community service in the students and staff of the College of Dentistry and the University Dental Hospital.

- To strengthen community solidarity by establishing local, regional, and global partnerships aimed at preventive, educational, and therapeutic community service.

- To raise awareness in the community about oral health issues and ways to prevent them.

- To empower individuals in the community to improve their oral health.

In 2024, the College of Dentistry and the University Dental Hospital launched the field campaign initiative "Ziyaratna" (Our Visits), with the following key objectives:

• To provide regular, periodic field visits to schools, charitable organizations, care and shelter homes, various university colleges, and numerous national institutions, offering preventive, diagnostic, and therapeutic awareness services.

• To promote the values of volunteerism and social responsibility among the college's staff and students.

• To support collaboration with both the public and private sectors concerning oral health.

• To enhance public awareness of oral health among all members of the community.

 To view the achievements of the Community Service Unit at the College of Dentistry for the year 2024, click here.

On February 4, 2024, on the occasion of World Cancer Day, the Health Promotion Center at King Abdulaziz University published awareness content about cancer, emphasizing the importance of early detection and adopting preventive practices among community members. (link)

On February 28, 2024, and on the occasion of the Global Eating Disorder Awareness Week, the Health Promotion Center at King Abdulaziz University published awareness content about eating behaviors and their relation to food-related disorders. (link)

 On September 16, 2024, the University Medical Services Center launched the World Alzheimer’s Day 2024 event in the presence of the Director General of the Center and its leadership team. The event also featured the participation of the Saudi Alzheimer’s Disease Charity Association.(link)

On Wednesday, February 28, 2024, the Health Promotion Center at King Abdulaziz University organized a volunteer campaign titled “Eye Protection” to raise awareness about eye health, held in the lobby of the University Hospital. 

(Link)