Sharjah has been officially declared a 'Healthy City' by the World Health Organisation. A ceremony has been held in the emirate to mark the occasion, in the presence of senior WHO officials. His Highness Dr. Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah received the certificate from the World Health Organisation. According to the WHO, Sharjah was one of the first cities in the region to put health at the top of its priorities. The emirate joined the organisation's Healthy Cities Programme in 2012.