Painkillers develop peptic ulcer bleeding, warns expert

By PMA RASHEED 

9 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

EXCESSIVE use of painkillers for joint and bone diseases leads to increased incidences of peptic ulcer bleed (PUB) in the UAE, warns an expert.
The PUB is a common and potentially life-threatening complication of peptic ulcer disease.
Compared to similar cases across the world, the percentage in the UAE is high as it is a multicultural country.
Dr Saeed Al Shaikh, a Gastroenterologist at Dubai Healthcare City and Welcare Hospital, has called for regular general checkups to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and the PUB diseases in the emirates.
Speaking at a medical symposium organised by AstraZeneca Gulf, Dr Shaikh warned that that if not treated properly, the GERD could lead to serious complications, such as inflammation, narrowing of throat, ulcers and bleeding. “The PUB is a major development of stomach ulcers, and it occurs in all ages, especially in older people who excessively use painkillers for bone and joint diseases. It is common in the UAE as it is in other parts of the world, especially amongst elderly and ladies,” Dr Al Shaikh pointed out.
Professor Ernst Kuipers, chair of Gastroenterology, Herpetology and Internal Medicine Departments at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Netherlands, elaborated that a peptic ulcer is a deep and sharply demarcated break in the lining of the stomach.
“Currently, approximately 20 per cent of patients with the PUB may experience a re-bleed even after endoscopic treatment. Such patients are at a three-fold risk of death,” he said.
“When the disease is in the stomach it is described as a gastric ulcer and when in the duodenum (the part of the small intestine between the stomach and the jejunum) its called a duodenal ulcer. The PUB occurs when the ulcer erodes into an underlying blood vessel. In Europe, the PUB affects approximately 50 people per 100,000 people every year,” Kuipers added.
“Patients in most of the cases are not aware of the bleeding, which makes it more critical. They often see black excreta or black or dark red vomiting. If not treated, the PUB can cause death. In many cases, rebleeding occurs due to non-adherence to treatment or eating restricted foods,” he noted.
According to Kuipers, upto 15 per cent of the patients die as a result of the severe condition all over the world.
“Continuous usage of painkillers damages the superficial layer of the stomach that bleeds when the damage becomes bigger and deeper,” he revealed.
Dr Fadel Shaker, the medical manager AstraZeneca Gulf, said that until now there has not been an approved pharmacological treatment to reduce the risk of rebleeding after endoscopic treatment.
“Newly introduced Esomeprazole medication for the treatment of heartburn and other symptoms associated with gastroesophageal acid reflux (GERD) and the PUB has been approved by health authorities in Europe and the UAE,” he added.
“The medicines prevents peptic ulcer rebleeding in adults and fills a significant gap to manage the PUB after endoscopic treatment,” he pointed out.

According to him, it’s the first proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to be indicated in the UAE and Europe for prevention of rebleeding following therapeutic endoscopy for acute bleeding gastric or duodenal ulcers.

42% air pollution in Dubai caused by vehicles

By PMA RASHEED

7 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

THE transport sector contributes about 42 per cent of air pollution in Dubai, and the carbon dioxide emission per vehicle varies from 110 to 250 g/km, revealed Dubai Municipality on Sunday.

From the total air pollution, over 82 per cent comes from car petrol emissions alone. This is in addition to the tens of thousands of other vehicles that enter the city from other emirates.

The figures were revealed by the civic body while announcing the second edition of “Car-Free Day”, which will be staged on Feb.9. Hundreds of civic employees will be leaving their cars at home and taking public transport to work.

According to the figures made available in 2009, there were 1,021,880 vehicles in Dubai and they emit 23,34,762 kg carbon dioxide per day.

Hussain Nasser Lootah, director general of the DM, announced the environmental initiative designed to cut the number of vehicles on Dubai roads.

“This year more local departments will join more than 1,500 employees in the municipality headquarters and the nearby offices in using only public transport modes to reach their offices,” he added.

“Other participating government departments included the Land Department, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Etisalat and the Roads and Transport Authority. All the staff may use public buses, the Metro or water taxis, encouraging the residents to consider alternative transport means for their daily destinations,” Lootah elaborated.

“The private buses that the DM uses to take some of its employees to offices will be left in the garage, and municipal car parks will be closed. We want to encourage the local community to care for their city the best way, by reducing the number of vehicles,” he noted.

According to him, the inaugural edition of the Car-Free Day saved the environment from three tonnes of carbon dioxide emission as more than 1,000 vehicles of employees did not reach the municipality. This is in addition to the vehicles of the DM customers.

“More environmental benefits are expected to be achieved this year from the participation of other government departments in practicing sustainable environmental behaviours and reducing the emission of carbon dioxide that pollute the air,” said the chief of municipality.

He added that the DM will release a detailed report about the result of the initiative. “The study will include the statistics about the volume of carbon dioxide emission reduced due to the initiative by calculating the number of participants and the kind of vehicles they use.”

“The kilometres to be saved per employee may vary as the employees travel daily to the DM offices from different locations,” he said.

Lootah urged the residents to take responsibility for the protection of the environment.

Lootah said the civic body decided to adopt the Car Free Day concept as it facilitates a number of steps that enhance the opportunities for achieving sustainable urban transport, followed by enhanced air quality in the urban area as well as reduction in carbon dioxide emission, which is considered to be a hot gas that causes climate change.

As per the DM’s 2009 statistics, there are 841,444 petrol cars that account for 82.34 per cent of Dubai’s total number of vehicles. The daily CO2 emission from these cars is estimated at 19,221,893kg. About 21,852 petrol trucks come in second place at 2.14 per cent with 499,186kg of CO2 emission.

“While 75,231 diesel cars of the city produce 1,718,572kg of CO2 daily at 7.36 per cent, and 2,456 diesel trucks emit 56,105kg of CO2 at 0.24 per cent, 22,481 diesel buses emit 513,555kg CO2 per day at 2.20 per cent, 24,435 heavy diesel trucks emit 558,192kg CO2 at 2.39 per cent, 18,653 heavy diesel buses emit 426,108kg CO2 at 1.83 per cent and 15,328 petrol motorcycles emit 350,152kg CO2 at 1.50 per cent.”

Sewage system now covers the entire Dubai

By PMA RASHEED

18 Jan 2011, The Gulf Today

A number of newly developed areas in Dubai, including locations around Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, Dubai Marina and Aweer have been linked to the main sewage network of the city.

Dubai Municipality (DM) says that the delivery of sewerage services has been ensured in the entire areas of the city with the completion of the several new projects, including the establishment of a giant sewage water treatment plant at Jebel Ali at an estimated cost of Dhs1.55 billion.

Talib Julfar, the director of Drainage and Irrigation Department at the DM, said that new plant, second phase of which was completed in 2010, would be the main sewage treatment plant for the city in place of the current Al Aweer plant.

“An odour treatment plant was also set up to prevent emission of unpleasant stench affecting the surrounding areas,” he added.

“The waste water treatment plant, spanning over an area of 670 hectares of land, has a capacity of processing 300,000 cubic metres per day, 150,000 cubic metres for each phase,” elaborated Julfar.

“Giant sewage pumping stations and pipelines, including a project at an estimated cost of Dhs580 million have been set up to transfer sewage from DubaiÕs different areas to the plant and transfer treated irrigation water to various locations in the city,” he noted.

According to him, the project includes a solid waste treatment plant, which produces fertiliser as a source of economic return from the treatment processes.

“Another sewage pumping station and pumping lines at a cost Dhs191 million has also been completed with a pumping capacity of 2,000 litres per second. The third sewage water pumping station and pumping lines was constructed within a period of two years at an estimated cost of Dhs586 million.”

“The new pumping station near Arabian Ranches Roundabout has a pumping capacity of 9,600 litres per second. Several irrigation projects have been implemented to deliver potable water for irrigation from the new main sewage treatment plant at Jebel Ali,” said Julfar.

“The drainage and irrigation department could cover all the green areas in Dubai through a Dhs258 million project of extending a treated irrigation water line from the main treatment plant,” he added.

Another project of the similar nature was completed recently at a cost Dhs310 million, including a pumping station located at the Dubai-Al Ain road for the delivery of irrigation water until the Jebel AliÐAl Hebab intersection.

“A project for the main irrigation lines to Aweer farms was completed recently at a cost of Dhs103 million, covering an area of 1,346 hectares with a pumping capacity of 500 litres per second,” Julfar noted.

“The project for main irrigation lines on Dubai Bypass Road was completed recently at a cost of Dhs60 million. It includes construction of 12,100 metres long irrigation pipeline network with 1,400mm diameter,” he added.

“The project aims to use treated water for irrigation purposes in the projects developed along the line, as well as improve the pressure in the old network and the estimated capacity is 135,000 cubic metres per day,” concluded Julfar.

Over 1 million animals vaccinated in 2010 in UAE

By PMA RASHEED 

31 Jan 2011, The Gulf Today

About 1,129,146 animals have been vaccinated across the UAE during the year 2010, said a spokesperson from the Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW).

A senior official said that the ministry's strategic objective is to strengthen the country's food safety with highest global standards by increasing levels of bio-security through measures like preventing transmission of epidemic diseases through vaccinations.
Sultan Abdullah Bin Alwan, executive cirector for Agricultural and Veterinary Affairs at the MoEW, said that the vaccine shots have been administered on livestock including sheep, goats, cows and other cattle at farms.
"The MoEW wants to bring down the rate of communicable diseases affecting livestock, and raise vital safety measures for preventing various biological risks and epidemic diseases from affecting the community," he added.
Sumayya Abdul Rahim al Rais, director of the Animal and Plants Health Department at the MoEW, said, "An animal is administered shots of vaccines 10 times during the year for protection from further infection occurrences. Providing them with minerals, vitamins and medicinal supplements is also included in the service."
"The vaccination programme covers various infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth ailments, lung infections, blood poisoning, intestinal diseases and other contagious infections with purulent skin eruptions," she added.
"Tuberculosis, brucellosis and zoonosis are the major deadly diseases transmitted to human beings from infected animals. The fatal diseases enter the human body by ingestion of meat and non-sterilised milk of the infected animals, or by close contact with secretions of the animals," she elaborated.
According to her, the epidemic of foot-mouth-disease (FMD) has emerged due to a fast-spreading virus that infects cloven-hoofed animals including cows, sheep, goats and deer.
The ministry said it has provided free veterinary medicines to the clinics in various parts of the country. The medicines include antibiotics, anti-internal and external parasites and disinfectants.
The MoEW also called for livestock breeders to report cases of illness to the nearest veterinary clinic or the ministry's

Waste recycling project on anvil for Nothern Emirates

By PMA RASHEED 

8 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

THE UAE Ministry of Environment and Water (MoEW) has announced on Monday plans to implement an integrated solid waste recycling project for the Northern Emirates.

The project, to be carried out in tandem with the Ministry of Public Works, is excepted to commence by mid-year, after a primary study on the solid waste generated in the emirates of Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain and Fujairah is conducted.
Dr Ahmed Rashid Bin Fahad, the Minister of Environment and Water, told The Gulf Today that according to currently available statistics, the Northern Emirates generate about 30 million tonnes of solid waste per year.
“The project will effectively resolve issues related to the massive amount of waste by establishing environmentally-friendly recycling plants in these Emirates,” he added.
“The project will begin, once the primary study on the waste processing and recycling mechanism is completed and approved by the UAE Ministerial Council for Services,” said Dr Fahad.
“The conceptual study will last for three months at an initial cost of up to Dhs2.5 million,” he revealed.
Fareed Al Katheeri, director of the Technical Studies Department at the Ministry of Public Works, said that the study will look into the possibility of finding appropriate solutions to the problem of waste and the feasibility of implementing the project.
“The present waste production will also be surveyed, in addition to analysing and evaluating the existing systems for waste management. The study will focus on the concepts of waste materials segregation from the source to the disposal levels,” he added.
According to Dr Fahad, the project will be implemented in partnership with both the public and private sector establishments, in order to achieve sustainable development in the Northern Emirates.
“The ministry prepared a field study in 2008 to assess the waste management services at the state level, in wake of the constant increase in the quantities of waste. The survey showed disparity in waste management services across the country and poor infrastructures in the Northern Emirates,” he pointed out.

“If the process of waste disposal in the Emirates is not controlled effectively on a sustainable ground, it will pose large threats to public health, the environment and the biodiversity of the country. Proper planning to create an integrated system for sustainable waste management would only reduce the harmful impacts of waste,” elaborated the minister.

No minimum wage structure yet for migrant Lankan workers

By PMA RASHEED 

3 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

The Sri Lanka government has not taken any firm decision on fixing a minimum wage limit for its workers in the UAE, according to the newly-appointed chief of Sri Lankan mission in Dubai.
However, a set of standards have been formulated by the authorities which stipulate unskilled workers and domestic helpers to take up jobs if they are offered a minimum Dhs850 to work in the UAE or equal remuneration in other Gulf countries.

MM Abdul Raheem, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Dubai and Northern Emirates told The Gulf Today that Sri Lankan employment agencies also are required to follow the criteria while recruiting housemaids and domestic helpers from the island.
"The minimum wage structure for the migrant workers has not yet been developed as a bilateral pact to implement it officially, as Indian government and missions in the UAE has recently proposed a hike in the minimum wages for its workforce. The decision on a minimum wage structure cannot be taken arbitrarily," he said.
"We encourage the unskilled workforce from the island not to opt for a job that pays them less than Dhs850 or its equivalent. Meanwhile, there's a huge influx of skilled workers from Sri Lanka to the Emirates engaging in a wide range of vocations. Wage limit for such workers depend on their contract with employment providers," he added.
The Sri Lankan community in the UAE will celebrate their 63rd Independence Day, which is the second occasion after wiping out terrorism from the island, on Friday. MM Abdul Raheem, who took over as the mission chief on Jan 10, will hoist the Sri Lankan national flag at 8.45am at the Consulate, and will direct the celebration activities for the first time during his assignment in Dubai.
"The UAE is home to about 225,000 migrant Sri Lankan workers, out of which 190,000 expatriates are employed in Dubai and Northern Emirates. A significant majority of them are engaged in domestic helpers in the UAE, noted Raheem.
Speaking about rehabilitation of the Gulf returnees to Sri Lanka, Raheem elaborated, "The Sri Lankan labour ministry is addressing the issue by providing them support with local opportunities in different local sectors such as garment manufacturing, fisheries, tourism and related self-employment possibilities."
"Local opportunities have been doubled in the Sri Lanka's post terrorism eradication era, which witnesses escalating prospects in the tourism sphere. The political stability has not only boosted the influx of tourists to the country, also increased interaction among citizens as mobility is ensured between North and North parts of the country," he elaborated.
"My assignments in Dubai include boosting bilateral trade relationship between Dubai and Sri Lanka, focusing on investment opportunities and promotion of tourism. The bilateral trade between the two countries has been estimated at about $550 million in 2010, out of which exports from Sri Lanka to the UAE only account for $215 million," he said.

Tele-boost to healthcare

By PMA RASHEED 

2 Feb 2011, The Gulf Today

THE rapid growth in the information technology sphere and communication bandwidth has boosted an equally rapid development of clinical teleradiology in the UAE, according to a Dubai-based radiology expert.

Speaking to The Gulf Today, on the sidelines of the recently concluded Arab Health 2011, Dr Nawab Shafi ul Mulk, director of Global Hawk Telemedicine Services said that teleradiology exploits the latest of technological advancements by bringing radio diagnosis at the patients’ doorsteps.

Teleradiology is the future generation approach to medical information, allowing for transmission of patient radiological images (such as x-rays, CT scans, MRIs). It enables people to get second opinions from specialists in different countries and allows for improved patient outcomes.
The telemedical treatments can radically improve the condition of chronically ill patients, as well as of those who suffer from lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, hypertension and cardiac disorders, explained Dr Mulk. The technology will provide them with quality of life and access to medical expertise round-the-clock from different parts of the world.

“The latest teleradiology technology makes patients’ medical data available anytime and anywhere in the world. Immediate online access to the patient’s radiological images and reports will make the service efficient and reduce delays in results,” he added.
Dr Mulk introduced teleradiology in the UAE for the first time a couple of years ago, through the channel of the USA Teleradiology Service Providers, networked with a comprehensive team of specialists and researchers worldwide.

The introduction of teleradiology advancements in the UAE’s healthcare sector facilitates early detection and treatment of diseases on a large scale, as clinics and hospitals can efficiently monitor the real-time status of examinations and results.
He said, “Patients in the UAE are provided with consultative radiological services with advanced medical imaging technology. Teleradiology is a compulsive modern tool for physicians to provide accurate diagnosis and treatment, as it can answer many needs within the medical community.”
“Improved quality of care, combined with rapid and accurate diagnosis at comparatively lower expense, is the advantage of the modern medical tool. It provides direct supervision of off-site imaging studies with reduced time spending for patients, facilitating them in maintaining improved their general health.”
“The telemedical services have been widely accepted in the USA, UK and many Western countries. In the UAE also, the number of patients depending on the medical service has been increasing since its inception,” he added.
“The global healthcare sphere faces a serious shortage of radiologists, as the imaging procedures are growing approximately by 15 per cent annually, against an increase of only two per cent in the population of radiologists. Teleradiology effectively contributes to resolve the healthcare industry’s crisis due to scarcity of experts,” Dr Mulk revealed.

He explained that as one of the benefits of the modern tool, teleradiology moves the patient’s information and not the patient. It has positive impacts on emergency neurosurgical care, by reducing the time for diagnosis and treatment of the patient, who needed to be transferred, by avoiding unnecessary transfers.
“In the event of medical emergencies or unexpected illnesses for people who are traveling by ship or have been moved far away from the land, the patient can seek medical aid of specialists from anywhere in the world through the telemedicine network,” he noted.
“The radiographic image files are electronically transmitted from one location to another through the teleradiology network. The technological advances in digital imaging, telecommunications, digital storage, and viewing technologies have made it readily available and reasonably affordable,” he said.
“Being able to review and interpret case studies without physical presence, teleradiology could increase efficiency of the procedures, simultaneously decreasing the chances of delay for completion of study. The report is archived in a comprehensive electronic medical record system,” Dr Mulk added.
According to him, wireless transmission portable viewers potentially improve the application of the procedures and accessibility to the teleradiology technology.
He said that the patients’ radiological images are stored in encrypted temporary storage on the Global Hawk Tele-radiology servers, making them available to the networked international sub-specialist radiologists, who review and provide highest quality specialty reports.
“In the orthopedic trauma application through the teleradiology, the consulting orthopedist at a remote location reviews the case to improve the diagnostic accuracy, and plans surgical procedures and outlays emergency departments of hospitals,” he pointed out.
According to him, the system improves the comfort level of the consulting orthopedic surgeons and limits the risk of litigation for incorrect diagnosis, having the radiographic images available on hand-held devices.
Dr Mulk is currently working on the launch of a mega project for a dozen super specialty centres, named as Global Hawk Imaging and Diagnostic Centres (GHIDC) across the region and other parts of the world.

“Eight centres will be opened in the next two years in the UAE, the KSA, Oman and Qatar. One centre will be set up in Malaysia and the other two are planned to establish in India’s Bangalore and Jaipur. The first imaging and diagnostic centre among the series will be operational soon in Jumeirah,” he said.