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Week In Review | By
Debasree S, Contributing Editor | 14-20 January, 2007
Week 14-20 January,
2007
UAE Lead in HBV Immunization
A sustained program of awareness and prevention embarked upon by the
UAE Ministry of Health has significantly reduced the incidence of
Hepatitis B in the country. Targeted at healthcare workers and
schoolchildren through education and immunization, the program has been
so successful that it will now be recommended to the Arab League of
Nations for adoption and implementation, a MOH official confirmed this
week.
The first phase of the program ran from 1990 to 1997 when vaccines were
made mandatory for schoolchildren and healthcare workers. Dr. Ameen Al
Amiri, Director of the Department of Blood Transfusion and Research
Services said that the MOH implemented laws in 1997 compelling all
expatriates to get tested for Hepatitis B and HIV before obtaining a
residence visa. UAE will now recommend to other Arab League nations to
implement a similar strategy of screening the high-risk section,
highlighting the need for immunization and pre-marriage screening for
couples to eliminate the disease.
Indian Eggs Back in UAE Supermarkets
Following the Bird Flu scare in 2006, all imports of Indian eggs
were banned in the UAE. However the Indian population and supermarkets
made a reason to celebrate this week when the local authorities
announced that the ban had been lifted. Dr. Ameen Yousuf, Food Safety
Consultant to the General Secretariat of UAE Municipalities said that
the time had come to lift the ban to pave the way for Indian eggs to
reach the shelves of the supermarkets.
Food Hygiene
In what is being considered as a significant step forward in food
hygiene the municipality has made it mandatory for all workers in
restaurants in cafeterias and restaurants to wear gloves while making
sandwiches, meals and juices.
Exubera to Arrive in March
The revolutionary insulin inhaler Exubera from Pfizer which was
cleared by the MOH for sale last week might arrive at the gulf shores as
early as in March 2007. With a large diabetic population waiting with
bated breath to say goodbye to painful injections and embrace the
inhaler, MoH authorities said that they were trying to make the
medication available as soon as possible.
Dr. Ali Al Sayed, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Department
of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS) said that an order had already
been placed by the department and the shipment is expected to arrive in
July. "However we are trying to expedite the process so that it can
be shipped into the country as early as in March."
Inquiry into Medical Negligence
The MOH is conducting an inquiry into the death of a 30-year-old man
who was turned away from the emergency section of the Al Kuwaiti
Hospital in Sharjah when he arrived complaining of chest pains. Instead
of administering immediate aid, the patient was asked to go to another
clinic. The man Mr. Mohammed Jamil Akhtar died soon after. Authorities
at the Sharjah Medical Zone have described the incident 'unfortunate'
and the behavior of the staff who turned the patient away
'unacceptable.' When a patient walks into the emergency section of any
hospital in the UAE, nurses have to first check all the vital parameters
to see if the patient is in any imminent danger before recommending him
to any other clinic or hospital.
Open Seminar for Arthritis
The Emirates Arthritis Foundation will organize an open seminar for
arthritis patients in the first week of February. The seminar will be
addressed by international speakers who are also victims of the same
debilitating disease. The focus will be on how to manage the condition
and lead a meaningful life despite the pain. Author of books like
"Rheumatism -Learn to Live with the Disease" and "New
Therapy Options" Dr. Gabrielle Brieden will be one of the speakers
at the conference who will enlighten others about arthritis management.
Early Intervention Centre Special Needs
Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah will be the venue of two early intervention
centers to diagnose and treat special needs children of UAE nationals.
Similar centers have already opened in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi.. The
centers will be equipped with the latest diagnostic tests to detect
disabilities among children and start treating them early. The UAE
University has worked extensively to adopt international diagnostic
tests into Arabic and to evaluate special needs people using factors
related to their culture and environment, resulting in an accurate and
reliable diagnosis.
Towards Infection-free Hospitals
The government-run Dubai hospital launched a three-day campaign this
week to combat the spread of contagious disease and enforce stringent
hygienic rules. The campaign offered free microscopic tests for visitors
so that they would know the number of germs that they carried with them
when they entered the premises of the hospitals. The campaign also
emphasized the need to check the spread of contagious diseases, through
better hygiene and prevention techniques.
Posted 5/FEB/07
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