The Sharjah Healthy Emirate Programme Expansion Committee reviewed the latest developments during a session held Thursday morning at the Sharjah Health Authority headquarters. The panel examined achievements realised in the preceding phase before endorsing an operational plan that extends to every city across the emirate and adheres to criteria set by the World Health Organisation. Authority officials also activated a dedicated digital platform intended to facilitate file compilation and data entry for all axes of the programme, streamlining preparations for international review.
Dr Abdul Aziz bin Butti Al Muhairi, chairman of the Sharjah Health Authority, outlined the decisions in statements to Sharjah24. He noted that the committee had endorsed a joint workshop with the World Health Organisation scheduled for the end of September to equip executive and coordination committee members for an impending audit visit. The evaluation will scrutinise documentation and core criteria that will determine whether all locations in Sharjah qualify for designation as healthy cities.
Al Muhairi expressed hope that the emirate would attain the international accreditation, which he characterised as a qualitative advance in sustainable health development. The committee itself traces its origins to a December 2025 decision by the Sharjah Executive Council that formally established and populated the body under Al Muhairi’s leadership, Al Khaleej newspaper reported at the time. Membership draws from the education sector, police command and child safety foundation, creating a coordinated framework that supports programme objectives.
The latest steps build upon an initial 2026 meeting convened in January where the committee outlined its expansion strategy through 2028, according to the same publication. Participants elected a deputy chairman and finalised the structure of a healthy cities network to strengthen collaboration with government agencies and private partners. These early actions have enabled the accelerated approvals witnessed on August 27.
Public health infrastructure in the emirate has expanded in tandem, with Sharjah Municipality issuing 180254 medical fitness certificates in the first half of 2026, municipal figures show. The 17 fitness centres spread across Sharjah city, the eastern region and the central region received nearly 240000 visitors seeking services that range from residency clearances to occupational health cards. Authorities issued an additional 77251 occupational health cards for workers in food and healthcare facilities during the same period.
The digital platform introduced on Thursday is projected to improve accuracy and speed in handling the volume of data required for the World Health Organisation assessment. Committee members will enter information on multiple programme components through the system in advance of the audit team arrival. Such tools reflect the systematic approach adopted to meet global benchmarks for urban health and quality of life.
