As part of its vision in spreading hope within the fabric of society, Nahdi, the largest pharmaceutical retailer in the Middle East and North Africa, has launched Wazen, a competitive program that aims to create a healthy community and encourage a balanced lifestyle in the community. 

Initially an internal program crafted for Nahdi employees, Wazen was first launched in 2014 as part of the company's efforts to continuously improve the working environment and raise awareness for health and wellness, while tackling two major issues, obesity and diabetes. With the success of the program, and the aim to spread wellness from inside out, Nahdi launched Wazen to the rest of the community, encouraging citizens to lead a balanced lifestyle through healthy nutrition, sports and general wellness. 

Eng. Yasser Joharji, CEO of Nahdi, stressed on the importance of spreading health awareness on an ongoing basis and said: We are committed to investing in our community, by creating a wholesome environment for our people and community, and through Wazen, we aim to trigger a nationwide health movement that will educate the community on how to lead healthier lives. 

After witnessing the internal success of the Wazen program, we at Nahdi realized the great potential and effect this could have on the wider community and have decided to share it with them. Our aim is to grow this initiative over the next five years, where we will hopefully see more and more people get involved and take their health back into their hands, Joharji added. 

Eng. Hosam Alqurashi, Vice President of Marketing and External Affairs at Nahdi, said: âWith 60% of the Saudi population already overweight or obese, we are seeing this number rapidly increase, and we must do something about it. We must educate and raise awareness on the severity of the issues of obesity and diabetes as these do not just affect the individual, but the community at large. 

“Last year we ran the program twice, with 1,026 Nahdi employees participating in Wazen's first run and 192 in its second, where they collectively shed two tons of harmful fats, and began their journey to a healthier and more balanced life. We at Nahdi encourage all members of the community to take part in the Wazen program and learn how to lead healthy lives. He added 

Wazen was primarily launched in 30 Nahdi pharmacies in the Jeddah region and will span over a period of two months, concluding on January 16th 2016, where three winners will then be announced and awarded with prizes on 1st of February, where the first winner will receive SR50,000, the second prize will be SR 25,000 and the third worth SR 10000. 

The company has enlisted the expertise of Fawaz Al-Tasan, a personal trainer, health advocate and sports gym owner, who has dedicated himself towards encouraging healthy and fit lifestyle. Jumana Jalal, a nutritionist, will provide tips on healthy eating in addition to a series of Q&A sessions on their social media handles, under the title Wazen with Fawaz and Jumana. 

Participants of the program will also have access to Fawaz's exercise videos, which will demonstrate simple home exercises and provide tips on how to lose weight, and Jumana's nutritional v-logs, which will educate viewers on the importance of a balanced diet. 

As part of its unwavering commitment to promoting hope amongst the local community, Nahdi continuously works to incite health education and prevention. As a community centric pharmacy, the company works hard to contribute to the general healthcare of the society, by providing high quality products and services.