Leejam signs 1-year deal with health ministry to promote 'Exercise Is Medicine' initiative

Agreement signing ceremony

Leejam Sports Co. (Fitness Time) signed on June 20, a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Health to achieve the goals of the “Exercise is Medicine” initiative, it said in a bourse statement.

The one-year agreement, effective from its signing date, was inked by Minister of Health Tawfig Al-Rabiah and Ali bin Hamad Al-Sagri, Board Chairman of Leejam.

“Exercise is Medicine” is a global health initiative run by the American College of Sports Medicine to assess exercise performance a standard in clinical care, by linking healthcare to sources of physical activity, which are based on scientific evidence and are suitable for people everywhere and for all abilities.

The Ministry of Health aims to propel Saudi Arabia to the countries that carry the initiative classification (EIM), where one of the requirements includes activating the role of sports and exercise therapy.

Under the goals of the initiative, the two parties have agreed on the following:

1) Cooperation in the field of health promotion and in the offering of preventive health programs at Leejam sites

2) Intensifying joint awareness campaigns for the importance of physical activity

3) Possibility of using the Fitness Time facilities of the treatment beneficiaries of Ministry of Health "group therapy sessions"

4) The ministry to benefit from some advertisement screens within Fitness Time gyms to display health awareness contents as set by Leejam

5) Details of attending the treatment sessions and preventive campaigns for the beneficiaries are determined later through an independent agreement to be concluded by the parties.

There is no financial impact of this agreement currently, and the company will announce any developments in this regard in due course.

This step confirms Leejam’s commitment to harnessing its capabilities to raise awareness of physical activity and promote public health to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.