Nearly half of UAE residents still prefer plastic bags

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 14 Sept 2010

WHEN it comes to shopping, about 48 per cent of the UAE residents still prefer plastic carrier bags rather than eco-friendly alternatives, according to the federal environmental watchdog.

At the same time, 84 per cent of the population believes that they have the spirit to reduce consumption of plastic bags, revealed a recent survey by the UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW).

The study, aimed at profiling the “UAE free of plastic bags” campaign, has been carried out by the ministry to screen the rates of residents’ consumption of both plastic and biodegradable bags.

The preliminary results of the survey pointed out that 65 per cent of the UAE residents consume less than 20 plastic bags a week, while 55 per cent re-use plastic bags.

Dr Maryam Hassan Al Shinasi, executive director for technical affairs at the MoEW, said that 85 per cent of the survey respondents were aware of the health and environmental dangers due to the use of plastic, and 93 per cent of them were ready to support initiatives to limit the use of plastic bags.

“Only 35 per cent of the survey respondents, [however], were satisfied about the role of governments in educating the public on the hazards of plastic bag use,” she added.

The MoEW had earlier disclosed that the UAE’s annual consumption of plastic bags had been estimated at one billion plastic carrier bags per year, and plastic materials had been accounted at 10.9 per cent of the country’s total amount of domestic waste.

“Every month, the country produces 8,000 tonnes of plastic films, used as the material to make bags and wrap them,” according to statistics, based on which the ministry issued a ministerial resolution prohibiting printing logos on non-biodegradable plastic carry bags used in supermarkets, retail outlets and other kinds of business establishments.

“Shops were not allowed to print commercial names, products names, advertisements, and anything else on non-biodegradable plastic bags, under the new resolution.”

In the beginning of the current year, the MOEW launched the three-year “UAE free of plastic” campaign, aimed at reducing the use of plastic carrier bags in the country, as a first step towards a complete ban on the bags from the year 2013.

“The drive is expected to significantly protect the country’s environment and public health and animals as plastic bags pose a serious danger to them.”

Dr Al Shinasi noted, “The first phase of the national anti-plastic campaign focused on spreading message among people from all walks of life. The awareness session drew attention to the UAE’s excessive consumption of plastic bags by the residents.”

“The second phase of the UAE-free-of-plastic-bags-drive that has been currently running focuses on the presentation of environmentally-friendly alternatives to plastic bags. The campaign’s third stage, defining the legislation against the use of plastic bags and enforcement of the laws, will wind up by the end of 2012,” she added.

According to her, the battle against plastic bags has been announced to inspire the country’s residents to completely discard the habit of plastic bags usage, and protect both human and animal life.

“Another MoEW study disclosed that the plastic bags thrown out carelessly led to the death of large numbers of animals on land and under water. Marine mammals like sea turtles as well as grazing animals such as camels, cows and goats fall victim to the plastic bags that remain trapped inside their digestive systems, eventually leading to their demise,” pointed out Dr Al Shinasi.

According to the study, plastic bags are responsible for 50 per cent of the deaths of camels in the UAE.

“Plastic products challenge the existence of above 200 different marine species, including fish, seals and sea turtles, dolphins and whales. A number of marine species have died due to the toxic impact of the plastic bags, which account for 10 per cent of the total industrial waste ending up in the sea,” she elaborated.

“Plastic carry bags also distort the aesthetic appearance of the cities and add a burden of high waste management expenses. The non-biodegradable bags are one of the gravest environmental pollutants, as the earth needs several years to decompose them,” she opined.

“They turn into one of the most dangerous contaminants on the planet, causing serious environmental imbalance, as a result of the impact of toxic substances left in the soil, besides of course, the pollution that occurs in the seas and lakes,” said Dr Al Shinasi,

“The harmful substances also pose a direct threat to human health when used,” he noted.

According to the latest survey, 83 per cent of the public are aware that the eco-friendly bags have been produced from cotton, linen and paper. The study proposed that 50 per cent more awareness must be spread among the community on the dangers of the plastic bags.

Dr Al Shinasi urged all segments of society to take initiatives individually as well as collectively to reduce the use of plastic bags and contribute to the wellbeing of their surrounding environment.

UAE consumes 14% of world's desalinated water

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 1 Sept 2010

EVEN as the UAE produces nearly 14 per cent of the world’s desalinated water, demand for water in the country is expected to double and reach 9 billion cubic metres by the end of 2030, reveals the federal environmental watchdog.

According to this body, the cost of annual production of desalinated water in the UAE has been estimated at around Dhs11.8 billion — Dhs7.16 per cubic metre.

The Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) has called for implementing integrated national-level programmes to preserve water resources by reducing water depletion, rationalising consumption, and protecting ecosystems.

“The woes due to the scarcity of hygienic water could, otherwise, be the most severe issue in the future,” warns a senior MoEW official.

Dr Maryam Hassan Al Shenasi, Executive Director for Technical Affairs at MoEW, observed, “It’s time to replace traditional agricultural irrigation practices with new irrigation methods and efficient use of advanced techniques like solar energy to significantly reduce water use at farms across the country.”

“As the UAE has relatively weak groundwater reserves, it heavily relies on the desalination of sea water to meet the mass requirement of drinking water, she said.

According to her, in 2008, the entire UAE consumed around 4.5 billion cubic metres of water from both the desalinated stock and underground reserves. The per capita water consumption in the region was at over 150 gallons a year in the same year.

“The country desalinates water at 70 stations across the country. 67 per cent of the total desalinated water production happens in the capital emirate of Abu Dhabi. Dubai stands second in water desalination at 18 per cent, Sharjah comes in the third at 10 per cent, and the rest is produced by other emirates,” elaborated Dr Al Shenasi.

She noted, “The MoEW has planned a set of initiatives to preserve the water resources, to be launched by the beginning of 2011, by introducing efficient energy-consuming vegetable production plans equipped with modern technologies for farming.”

“The UAE can only address its water scarcity and depletion issues and ensure the availability of quality and clean water through national level integrated strategies for environment conservation, protection of water resources of surface, groundwater and sea water and enhancing water security,” she added.

“The largest user of the water in the UAE is the agricultural sector, where the water consumption is at 34 per cent. It’s followed by domestic and industrial sectors at 32 per cent, and forestry at 15 per cent, and landscaping at 11 per cent,” pointed out Dr Al Shenasi.

“The country’s main water supply from the groundwater source is estimated at 51 per cent, and from desalinated sources at 37 per cent, while the treated water is at 12 per cent,” she added.

(Pic by Prasahanth Mukunthan)

Dubai Municipality cracks whip on erring food firms

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 31 Aug 2010

A range of fines have been imposed on 161 errant food establishments in various parts of Dubai by the civic body’s food safety inspectors during a recent food inspection drive.

The officers at the food control department of Dubai Municipality (DM) have also issued warnings to at least 78 food traders for violating food safety conditions, according to a senior DM official.

However, Sultan Ali Al Tahir, acting head of the Product Control Section at the DM, said that 94 per cent of the food traders were found to be complying with the hygiene requirements set out by the municipality, during the inspection visits carried out at 239 establishments.

“In the performance-based assessment, there were 57 establishments with “very good” status and 171 were ranked “good”. Only eight weak food outlets, four per cent of the total inspected, earned an average rating during the campaign,” he elaborated.

According to Tahir, the positive results show the achievement of the Municipality’s goal of ensuring health and food safety in the Emirate.

“The intensive monitoring of the foodstuff trading establishments focused on ensuring that the food products are safe and suitable for consumption,” he said.

“The inspection team also imposed fines on 35 violating foodstuff warehouses and issued 56 notices when they conducted 91 visits to such establishments. A total of 6 per cent of food warehouses were found to be not adhering to hygiene regulations, while 94 per cent have obtained good assessment rates,” detailed the product monitoring chief.

“The most common irregularities at the warehouses were lack of proper cleanliness, improper storage methods and capacity, accumulation of excess items, and less ventilation and light, and lack of health cards or expiry of the workers,” he said.

According to Tahir, the warehouses are the primary branch of the food establishments, and food safety in these establishments will have impact on most of the segments of society.

“Food-borne diseases and the damage resulted from it must be upsetting, but it may be fatal too. There are also many other outcomes that may result from eating unhealthy food that is unfit for consumption,” he pointed out.

“The food safety campaign also inspected cooperative stores and hypermarkets to ascertain their compliance with the hygiene requirements, focusing on products that are in great demand during the holy month,” said Tahir.

“The extent of their commitment to the conditions of storage, cleaning and application of personnel commitment to these requirements were checked,” he added.

“The DM had been working on the inspection procedures two weeks before the beginning of the Holy Month of Ramadan, by setting up a special task force that had a face-to-face session with numerous food traders. The campaign lasted for two weeks during the Ramadan,” elaborated Tahir.
(Photo used for illustrative purpose)

MoH announces international doctors’ visit

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 27 Aug 2010

A GROUP of international specialist doctors will visit various hospitals under the Ministry of Health (MoH) to conduct a variety of practical and academic programmes such as regular check-ups, consultations, seminars and practical sessions.

Beginning from the month of October, the programme will run until the end of the year, according to senior official at the ministry.

Nasser Khelifa Al Bodoor, director of external relations at the MoH and supervisor of the Visiting Doctors Programme, said that the past editions of the international experts visit contributed to the strategies of the ministry towards experiencing a global exposure of medical knowledge.

“The visiting doctors’ programme will facilitate the development of the capabilities and skills of the professionals under the MoH,” he added.

“The schedule of the doctors has been designed in coordination with the hospitals in different medical districts, to examine the critical cases that require specialised treatments which are presently not available in the hospitals,” noted Al Bodoor.

“At Al Qassimi Hospital in Sharjah, Dr Sprague Eustis, ophthalmic specialist from Ochsner Clinic in the US, and Dr Christopher Edwards, rheumatologist at London Bridge Hospital, will do consultations from Oct.9 to15. Dr Robert Hill, pediatric orthopaedist will be in the hospital from Oct.30 to Nov.5,” he elaborated.

During November, the MoH will also receive six doctors beginning with a visit of Dr Charles Faiman, endocrinologist and diabetes specialist in Cleveland Hospital, at Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in Ajman from Nov. 6-12. At the same time, Professor Wolfgang Arnold, ENT surgeon in Munich University Hospital, will visit the same hospital. Dr. Christopher Anderson, a urologist in London Bridge Hospital, will visit Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah from Nov. 20-26.

“From Nov.13 to 19, Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in Ajman will receive Dr Yasser Abou Rayyah, pediatric ophthalmologist in Moorfield Eye Hospital; Dr Philip Wicart, pediatric orthopaedist in Saint Vincent De-Paul Hospital, from Nov.20 to 26; and Dr James Pattison, nephrologist in London Bridge Hospital, from Nov.20 to 26 in Saqr Hospital at Ras Al Khaimah,” he added.

“By the end of the year, professor Mohammad Ghunnaim, urologist and kidney surgeon of Al Mansoora University Hospital, will visit Sheikh Khalifa Hospital in Ajman between Dec.11 and 17,” said Al Budoor.

Dubai Municipality scotches BlackBerry romours on new housing fees

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 27 Aug 2010

The civic authorities in Dubai have dismissed smart-phone rumours about imposition of new set of fees on the shoulders of both citizens and expatriates residing in the Emirate.

A rumour was spreading via BlackBerry messages that Dubai Municipality (DM) had already enforced the fees on the citizens. This resulted in the toll-free number at the civic body’s call centre being rung up numerous times for clarification on the issue.

The news being circulated through the BlackBerry device on the enforcement of additional housing fees is absolutely fictitious, said a DM official statement issued on Thursday dismissing the gossip.

“However, the Municipality had launched an integrated e-transformation system in June to collect the housing fee along with Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s (Dewa) monthly billing system,” clarified the Municipality.

Director of the DM’s Finance Department Arif Ahli had said that the centralised collection of all the charges under the unified e-system throughout the Emirate would prevent manipulation of the utility bills.

“Notices were sent to the tenants to pay the housing fees as a component of the Dewa bills. The system has been implemented by making the public fill up special forms designed for this purpose that were available on the DM web portal www.dm.gov.ae,” he added.

All the tenants of non-citizens in the Emirate have been paying housing fees since 1962.

Earlier, this housing fee was being collected by Dubai Economic Development Department (DEDD) at the time of the licence renewal, and as well as through the lease contracts of the Dubai Real Estate Department.

“The housing fees, accounted at five per cent of the rental value of a unit leased or owned by non-Emirati residents, are meant for providing them with the civic services,” confirmed the DM.

“The electronic system for the unified utility bill collection is aimed at guaranteeing quality of work and comprehensive coverage of all tenants throughout the Emirate.”

“The first phase of the project began in 2005 through the collection of fees by the newly registered contracts with the Dewa,” read the DM statement.

“During the second phase, the Municipality worked on the development of the system in coordination with the Dewa in the light of the study notes on the application of the system in the first phase,” it elaborated.

Ahli had earlier pointed out that if anybody fails to register with the new system, the tenant would be sent a final notice asking him to provide the required data during the month.

“In case of failure to respond, the tenant would be charged housing fees as per the rental index issued by the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA),” he said.

Choices we make define our health

BY PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 26 Aug 2010

A nationwide awareness on lifestyle diseases and methods to control must be the top priority for healthcare planners, observed a panel of healthcare industry chiefs in light of a study carried out by Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The DHA’s household health survey had unveiled alarming statistics on the present health conditions of the residents. The study gave insights into the catastrophic height of challenges currently faced by the people.

Among the adults in the emirate, 10 per cent are diabetic, with a prevalence rate at 16 per cent among citizens, and 8 per cent among expatriate communities, with a huge variation among the diabetics of different age groups.

A total of 8.1 per cent adults living in Dubai suffer from high blood pressure, which is more than eight times more common in nationals than among expatriates.

The prevalence of hypertension among citizens is at 22.26 per cent, while it is at 2.75 per cent among the expats.

About 13 per cent of the expat community in Dubai is in the clutches of a smoking habit, while only 8.62 per cent of the Emiratis smoke.

And when it comes to passive smoking, 15 per cent of the total population suffers from the danger that affects 16 per cent of the expats and 11.44 per cent of the Emiratis. People between 18 and 39 years are the highest smokers group.

A healthcare expert opined that the risk groups of lifestyle diseases must be identified and adequate measures should be implemented to tackle their health issues. Provision of early treatment must be undertaken.

Regarding the reasons of the various lifestyle diseases which are currently plaguing the country, Gulf Medical University and Hospital’s chief Thumbay Moideen said that the risks are not due to the migration trend continuing in the country. “The diseases arise out of incorrect nutrition, lack of physical activity and stress related factors,” he noted.

“Diabetes and hypertension develop due to the increasing affluence seen in the current society and compounded by improper nutrition and lack of physical activity,” pointed out Moideen.

Dr KP Hussain, managing director and CEO of Fathima Healthcare Group, said that most of the general public lack knowledge to lead a healthy lifestyle. The situation worsens with the social environment, which is related to work pressures and its associated risk factors and to the living conditions.

“Hypertension is the second common lifestyle disease in the UAE. Most of the high blood pressure sufferers in the country go undiagnosed, leading to serious complications in their conditions. So, the public should be conscious on how to achieve good health,” he added.

He said that the expatriates in the UAE staying away from their families back home are suffering from damages to their psychological and physical health.

According to Dr Nawab Shafi ul Mulk, chief of Global Hawk Telemedicine Services in Dubai, the ever-continuing migration trend is one of the reasons for increasing some lifestyle diseases.

“The South Asian immigrants are also having high prevalence rates of diabetes, due to their sedentary lifestyle, improper diet or unhealthy meal choice. Diabetes has emerged as the fifth leading cause of deaths among Asians and Americans,” he elaborated.

Dr Mulk observed that most of the smokers fail in their efforts to escape from the world of cigars, even if they really wish to quit the habit. “They should be provided with appropriate assistance, tools and education to support long-term smoking cessation,” he pointed out.

He also warned that chronic illnesses like lung cancer can take alarming proportions in future, as more young people and expatriates resort to smoking to alleviate their stress level.

Dr Azad Moopen, chairman of DM Healthcare Group, a chain of private healthcare facilities in the region, observed that lifestyle diseases, diabetes and hypertension in their severe conditions are more common among locals than expatriates. “It’s not because of hereditary or geographical factors as many used to attribute,” he said.

“Most of the expatriates working in the UAE are aged between 25 and 55 years. As the number of older members is very less among the population, the serious impact of lifestyle diseases among the expats is also very less,” pointed out Dr Moopen.

“Meanwhile,” he attributed the reason to higher prevalence of a smoking habit among the expats “to their higher levels of tension and pressures for survival in a foreign country, as well as the feeling of alienation.”

“The expatriates also prefer to continue the food habits of their home countries in the Gulf, which has its own styles and culinary habits matching the particular climatic conditions and geographical specialities. This also increases the chances of falling prey to numerous illnesses,” said Dr Moopen.

He called for organising integrated detection drives at labour camps, and bachelor accommodations, focusing on the areas where the lower-income strata are active.

(Photo used for illustrative purpose)

20 Sharjah mosques receive blood donations in Ramadan

By PMA RASHEED

The Gulf Today, 16 Aug 2010

THOUSANDS of believers in Sharjah share great religious, social and humanitarian feelings during this Holy Month of Ramadan by contributing their blood to  the cause of saving the lives of hundreds of medically-disabled people across the UAE.

Blood collection sites have been set up at about 20 mosques across the emirate to attract numerous believers who congregate at the sacred place to offer Taraweeh prayer that is special at night during the Ramadan, said a senior health official.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has signed an contract with the Islamic Affairs and Endowment Department in Sharjah for carrying out the social initiative aimed at generating more donated blood units at the Blood Transfusion and Research Centre in Sharjah.

Dr Amin Hussein Al Amiri, the executive director of for Medical Practices and Licensing at the MoH and the chairman of the National Blood Transfusion Committee, said that the fifth edition of the ministry’s blood donation drive was officially launched on Aug.11 at Al Baraa Bin Azeb Mosque.

“Curtain for the humanitarian intiative will fall down at Al Noor Mosque in Buhairah Corniche on Sep.9,” he added.

“The other mosques included in the campaign are located in Al Nabaa, Al Shahbaa, Al Saif, Al Khalidyia, Samnan, Al Soor, Maysloon, Al Jareena, Al Fisht, Abu Shagara and Al Shahbaa areas,” elaborated Dr Amiri.

According to him, the drive was launched in 2007, witnessing 247 units of blood were donated that year. The number of donated blood units increased to 1,219 in 2008, while it was 1,066 in the year 2009.

“Meanwhile, mobile blood donation campaigns have also been organised this year by the MoH in Dubai and Ajman emirates. Another blood donation car will join the fleet to extend the drive to other emirates,” he pointed out.

“This year,” Dr Amiri said, “the number of donations is expected to reach more than 2,000 blood units to meet the increased need of blood between 60 and 80 units due to expansion of services, increase in the number of hospitals in public and private sectors and increase in the number of road accidents.”