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Ooredoo, Messi team up to back mobile health clinics for kids [Qatar Tribune](Qatar Tribune Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) IKOLI VICTOR DOHA TELECOM giant Ooredoo and the Leo Messi Foundation on Monday announced a trailblazing initiative to support mobile health clinics around the world to provide medical aid to children in the Middle East, North Africa, and Southeast Asia. Making the announcement at a ceremony held at Aspire Dome, Ooredoo Chairman HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Saud al Thani and Barcelona football star Lionel "Leo" Messi said that the initiative aimed at benefitting two million children in the countries where Ooredoo operates by 2016. The Ooredoo Chairman said: "Disease and lack of access to health care is a major problem for young people in many parts of the developing world, and we see the mobile clinic initiative as a practical solution to this. Today's initiative will enable us to work with the Leo Messi Foundation and transform our Indonesian mobile clinic initiative into a global force for better health." Emphasising that the young people should be given a full range of life chances, so that they have the opportunity to grow and realise their full potential, Sheikh Abdullah said that Ooredoo supports a wide range of health services throughout its areas of operation, as part of its commitment to promoting human growth and giving back to the community. He added, "For example, Indosat, part of Ooredoo, has provided free healthcare services for more than 600,000 people in Indonesia through its mobile clinics programme launched in 2008." "Now, working in partnership with the Leo Messi Foundation, Ooredoo plans to roll out mobile clinics across its global footprint with a particular focus on children's health, in addition to enhancing the range of services provided by the clinics in Indonesia," Sheikh Abdullah added further. Lionel Messi said: "We believe in making a difference to the community, and I'm proud that the Leo Messi Foundation will help Ooredoo provide muchneeded healthcare and educational support for at-risk children around the world. This unique partnership with Ooredoo is another way in which we can help youths realise their dreams." Ooredoo is also set to expand its range of mHealth services – health-based advisory and monitoring services that can be accessed via a mobile phone. For instance, customers in Kuwait, Palestine and Iraq can already access diabetes-related mobile information and alerts. Ooredoo Qatar is trialling a 24/7 mobile health advice service, and Indosat in Indonesia is developing a similar service enabling access to doctors and health related information via text, voice and rich content. The Foundation will also help promote and develop the programme across additional regions in Indonesia, including distributing medicine to more young people. People will be able to recognise the partnership, as there will be branded logos of the Leo Messi Foundation and Lionel Messi himself on the mobile health clinics and doctors' medical kits. Alexander Rusli, President Director and CEO, Indosat, said: "Indosat's mobile health clinics have been a major success in Indonesia, having treated hundreds of thousands at-risk people, mostly children and women. With support from the Leo Messi Foundation, we'll be able to expand our mission to help more people living in Indonesia, and provide support for healthcare initiatives such as vaccination programmes." Furthermore, the Ooredoo chairman said future markets targeted under the mobile health clinic initiative include Algeria, Tunisia and additional countries across the Ooredoo footprint. Ooredoo's footprint includes countries like Qatar that have a highly-developed healthcare infrastructure. In these countries, the mobile health clinics can be used to promote healthy lifestyles among underserved communities, youth and women. Waleed al Sayed, COO, Ooredoo Qatar, said: "Ooredoo has a long track record of supporting healthy lifestyles in Qatar. Bringing Ooredoo's regional and global initiative of mobile health clinics to Qatar, in partnership with the Leo Messi Foundation, demonstrates our commitment to promoting human growth and will enhance the healthcare for many people." While in Doha, Lionel Messi hosted a special football training session and a tea party for young people, and made dreams come true by meeting inspiring youth from countries with Ooredoo's footprint. (c) 2013 Qatar Tribune. All Rights Reserved. Provided by Syndigate.info an Albawaba.com company |