Health ministry updates pregnant women care protocol

By PMA RASHEED 

2 March 2011, The Gulf Today

THE UAE Ministry of Health (MoH) on Tuesday has updated the protocol on pregnant women care in hospitals across the Northern Emirates, according to a senior health official.
Dr Hajar Al Hosani, director of the Central Administration for Maternity Care and Childhood, said the set of norms for pregnant women care have been revamped by the ministry, aimed at ensuring the highest global standard care and services provided to both mothers and infants.
“Administration officials of hospitals and primary healthcare centres in the Northern Emirates reviewed the previous protocol, before updating its articles to prepare it for the final draft of the new set of standards,” she added.
“The new norms will be implemented in maternity care departments of hospitals and primary health centres in the Northern Emirates to level up with international protocols,” noted Al Hosani.
According to her, the protocol also includes post-partum services to provide continuous medical services for mothers before and after the birth of the child.
The health ministry last month had implemented new regulations on screening of newborn babies for 16 types of genetic disorders. The national newborn screening programme will include 30 checkups from next year onwards. The screening was limited to five diseases earlier.

Health ministry launches new vaccine for children

By PMA RASHEED 

17 March 2011, The Gulf Today

The national immunisation programme under the Ministry of Health (MoH) has introduced a new and safer vaccine that protects children from a range of serious illnesses. 

The new immunisation injection, called Pneumoccoccal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV-13), can be administered on all children over the age of two months. The central preventive medicine department at the MoH presented the vaccine on Tuesday.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, assistant undersecretary for health policies at the MoH, said the vaccine will provide children with the broadest coverage from 13 most widespread Pneumoccoccal serotypes that cause meningitis, pneumonia, blood infections and upper respiratory diseases, Bacteremia, Otitis Media, and other diseases. 

“Four doses of the vaccine are recommended to administer on children in the period of two, four and six months, and a booster dose at 18 months,” he added. 

Dr Salem Al Darmaki, acting undersecretary at the MoH, said in his speech at the seminar that streptococcus pneumonia prevention and treatment of infectious disease are of high priority in the UAE.

“Infectious diseases are on the rise and we have seen that they can travel through communities quickly and extract a heavy financial and human toll. So, the authorities are taking very specific steps to reduce incidence and prevalence rates through systematic prevention measures,” he added. 

According to him, streptococcus pneumonia can cause a situation as life threatening as advanced pneumonia.

Al Qaraen Health centre to serve 70,000 residents

By PMA RASHEED 

18 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

As many as 70,000 residents living in Sharjah’s Al Qaraen residential area and nighbouring localities Al Badee, Saijaan, Al Rahmanyia and Al Bataeh will now be able to enjoy global standards in healthcare services within their reach. 

The Al Qaraen Health Centre is the newest in the list of public sector health facilities that the ministry has been developing to meet the increasing need of  Sharjah population, said a top official at the Ministry of Health (MoH). 

Dr Hanif Hassan Ali Al Qassim, the UAE Minister for Health, opened Al Qaraen Health Centre in Sharjah on Wednesday. 

Sheikh Mohammed Bin Saqer Al Qassimi, director of Sharjah Medical Zone said the centre is expected to contribute to the mechanism to meet the escalating requirements for provision of healthcare services in accordance with the growth of population. 

“The health centre is equipped to provide a variety of high quality medical services, including general treatment and health education services under one umbrella to all residents and school students living in the area,” he added. 

“The services available at the centre range from normal blood test procedures to pre-marital examinations and vaccinations, and dental treatment to mammogram tests for early breast cancer detection,” pointed out Al Qassimi. 

“The health centre has been built in a total area of 1425.25 square metres, with a service building spanning over 51.80 square metres, in addition to other general facilities.”

“The health centre has eight consultation rooms, two treatment rooms and two dental clinics, radiology and laboratory departments, pharmacy, registration area for patients and other amenities,” he elaborated. 

According to him, the centre is also equipped with medical and operational equipment, and 32 professionals from various medical and technical specialisations. 

“The centre had been operational on a trial basis since June 1, 2011, and during the six months about 4716 patients visited the facility. About 371 patients, out of the total visitors, underwent dental treatment and 1459 consulted for other diseases,” noted Al Qassimi. 

Dr Hanif Hassan said, “Among the several new health facilities announced to open in the Northern Emirates this year, three primary healthcare centres have been slated to open in Nizwa, Al Batayeh and Shees areas of Sharjah.” 

“The ministry is developing a number of health facilities either through renovation or construction of new primary healthcare centres or hospitals, equipped with the latest medical supplies and equipment of international standards to ensure quality medical services provided to the UAE citizens and residents,” he indicated. 

“A wide range of strategies are also being implemented focusing on continuous medical training and provision of advanced technologies to health facilities to ensure global standard medical practices,” he added. 

Dr Salem Abdul Rahman Al Darmaki, acting undersecretary of the MoH, said, “Currently, the ministry is planning to unveil three hospitals, worth Dhs279 million, in the Northern Emirates. The health facilities, handed over to the ministry last year, are expected to open this year.” 

“Another hospital also will be handed over to the Ministry of Health by the Ministry of Public Works this year,” he said.

Besides, five more hospital projects are under construction at an estimated investment of up to Dhs1.25 billion,” he added.

Vaccination for Haj pilgrims until Nov 14 in Dubai

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 20 Oct 2010

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has started an on-site Haj health safety services campaign for the pilgrims from the government sector.

The vaccinations will cover pilgrims from Dubai’s 15 public sector organisations, under ENAYA health insurance coverage for the government employees, according to a senior DHA official.

Dr Ahmed Ibrahim Saif Kalban, CEO for Primary Health Care Services Sector at the DHA, said that the campaign has commenced a couple of days ago, and the flu vaccinations will be provided until Nov.14.

“Specialists from the DHA’s preventive health services centres will visit their workplaces of the pilgrims to give them the mandatory vaccinations which should be done at least two weeks prior to traveling,” he added.

Dr Fatma Mahmoud Al Attar, Head of Preventive Services Centres Department at the DHA, elaborated, “The DHA’s Hajj travel health campaign provides consultations by travel health specialists and family physicians.”

“Influenza vaccinations, Meningococcal vaccine, distribution of first-aid kit and educational materials, medication for fever if necessary and international certificate will also be provided,” she added.

According to her, the department’s preventive medicine specialists will educate the pilgrims on health safety measures to be adopted before starting the journey and during the Haj ceremonies.

“The DHA also will conduct Haj health safety programmes and consultations for private and individual parties too. The health education sessions also include protective steps to be taken against seasonal flu,” pointed out Dr Fatma.

“The ENAYA covered Haj pilgrims, regardless of their age, gender, nationality and medical status are required to attend the campaign. The Meningococcal vaccine should be taken by those who had not received it for the last three years,” she said.

“The Haj pilgrims, who are not covered under the Enaya insurance schemes, can avail the vaccinations from the preventive services section at the Mankhool Health Centre as per the DHA’s payment procedures,” noted Dr Fatma.

Al Baraha Hospital launches emergency patients connection system

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 26 Oct 2010

Al Baraha Hospital in Dubai has launched a new electronic connection system to receive data about emergency patients prior to their arrival at the hospital’s emergency ward.

The information transfer system, implemented in tandem with Dubai Ambulance Service Centre (DASC), will enable the hospital to be equipped with at the emergency ward for the treatment procedures and sooner rehabilitation of the patients, according to officials of the hospital.

Ahmed Obaid Al Khudaim, Director of Al Baraha Hospital and Director of Ambulance Department at the Ministry of Health (MoH), said that the mechanism to receive the emergency patients’ data in advance will speed up the response, preparation and treatment of the case as fast as possible.

“The nursing and technical staff members of the hospital have been trained on using the modern technology to deal with emergency and intensive care unit cases,” he added.

“The training was supervised by the DASC, aimed at raising the standards of healthcare services of the hospital by developing the healthcare professionals’ skills,” he added.

“Theoretical and practical training have been provided to the staff members by the DASC in applying the international standards of ambulance services and patients’ safety,” noted Al Khudaim.

“The DASC will increase training opportunities for the ambulance ward staff of the hospital to unify the policies and procedures of the treatment before, during and after the arrival of ambulance to the hospital,” he pointed out.