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Efsharibari in the City: Kiryat Gat

The city in the Lakhish Region, which is expected to triple in population within a decade, makes efforts to harness the rapid development to promote the health of both elderly and young residents.

City of Kiryat Gat

Source: Kiryat Gat Archive

Kiryat Gat: Introduction

Number of residents: 53,150
Socio-economic index: 8
Head of authority: Aviram Dahari
Health coordinator: Mazal Snir
Head of health committee: Zalman Hecht, authority member and head of the Health Committee
Year of joining Efsharibari in the City: 2018
Facebook page: Kiryat Gat

The significance of health in the authority

Kiryat Gat was one of the first cities to join the Healthy Cities Network (back in 1992) and has continuously prioritized promoting a healthy and active lifestyle, physical activity, popular sport, healthy nutrition, and making activities accessible to older adults and populations with special needs. The authority has also taken part in the Efsharibari project for promoting active and healthy living in 2013. When Efsharibari in the City was established, it was only fitting that Kiryat Gat was one of the municipalities to meet the criteria for joining. The authority already has a public health bureau.  

Health-promoting policy

  • A policy for constructing sport facilities and allocating spaces for physical activity for high risk and disabled populations
  • A policy for adding physical activity time for school children
  • A policy for provision of healthy refreshments and water at meetings and events managed by the council 
  • A policy for serving healthy and safe meals in municipal frameworks
  • A policy for enforcing the ban on smoking in public areas as per the requirements outlined in the report presented to the Minister of Health

community activity in the covid era

Unique program: “Adopt an Elderly Person”

  • Goals and objectives: Alleviating loneliness while maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle
  • Target population: residents over 65
  • A short description of the program: volunteers visit the homes of elderly individuals twice a week to promote tailored physical activities, engage in personal conversations, and help break up their daily routine.
  • Partnerships/bodies/organizations and residents taking part in the program mentioned key partners: the Municipal Youth Department, the Department for Seniors, and the Public Health Department

Efsharibari in education

Health promoting schools in 2019
Elementary schools: 5
High schools: 2

local health promoting educational institutes

Link to the full map of health promoting education institutions

Key programs in the education system

  • Holding a Youth Sports Day in community centers, with an emphasis on healthy refreshments and enjoyable sport activities
  • Lectures on the issue of healthy nutrition for parents and children
  • Workshops for preventing smoking among youth

Publicity campaigns and peak events

  • In 2020, the focus of the campaign was primarily on addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, with efforts aimed at preventing the spread of the virus, discouraging gatherings, and promoting measures such as hygiene and social distancing
  • In Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the authority published materials emphasizing the significance of regular check-ups. Additionally, a running group, named "I'm Running Too", was established specifically for women who are battling or have survived breast cancer.

Further reading

Efsharibari in the City: map of participating local authorities and companies (Hebrew)
Efsharibari in the City guide for local authorities (Hebrew)