Category: Medical

DUBAI, The WHO Regional Subcommittee on Polio Eradication and Outbreaks has thanked His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, for his continuous efforts to achieve a Polio-free world.

During its fourth meeting held virtually and chaired by the UAE, the Regional Subcommittee commended Sheikh Mohamed’s support to the global efforts being made to eradicate polio and his generous funding, which led to a huge decrease in the number of polio cases, as part of the UAE project to support Pakistan and Afghanistan in fighting this disease and providing vaccines to around 100 million children.

The meeting was attended by Ministers of Health of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Sudan, Oman, Djibouti and Pakistan, as well as a representative from Egypt and His Excellency Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean.

Speaking during the meeting Abdulrahman bin Mohammad Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), paid tribute to the keenness and humanitarian commitment of HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, to resume vaccination campaigns and provide vaccines to millions of children to help them lead a healthy and dignified life, adding that the UAE is exerting tremendous efforts in support of the WHO plans to eradicate polio.

Al Owais stressed that the UAE’s participation in the meeting aims to coordinate joint efforts to combat polio, support preventive health programs and strengthen the immunization programmes against this disease.

He expressed his admiration for the achievements made by the subcommittee within a short period, lauding the strenuous efforts made by healthcare teams and partners in the global initiative to eradicate polio.

The minister stressed that the UAE will continue to provide all forms of support and assistance to countries fighting polio to reduce its prevalence in coordination with the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Emirates Red Crescent.

For his part, Dr. Hussain Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for the Public Health Sector, stressed that the UAE represented by MoHAP will keep abreast of the latest global developments and remain committed to all WHO recommendations in this respect, adding “We will spare no effort to improve the results of the strategic immunization rates indicator among children and we will constantly work to foster the expertise and skills of all medical and technical teams,”.

Al Rand made it clear that the ministry of health will continue to conduct a periodic review of the latest developments in the global poliomyelitis eradication to upgrade the national preparedness response plan, although the last case of polio in the country was registered in 1992.

“The UAE is considered an advanced regional and global model for polio eradication and infection control, and has so far achieved remarkable results when it comes to handling the disease, where all prevention measures are strictly implemented and suspected cases are carefully handled according to international best practices,” Al Rand said.

In addition to the UAE, the WHO Regional Subcommittee’s membership features Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Sudan, Somalia, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 527,913 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment. As part of its intensified testing campaign, MoHAP announced 1,588 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 864,102.

According to the Ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.

MoHAP also announced 5 deaths due to COVID-19 complications, bringing the total number of deaths in the country to 2,278.

The Ministry expressed its sincere condolences to the families of the deceased and wished COVID-19 patients a speedy and full recovery. It called on all members of the society to cooperate with health authorities, adhere to the instructions and physical distance to ensure the health and safety of all.

MoHAP also noted that an additional 2,301 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 793,619.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention has announced that 25,545 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given in the past 24 hours. The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 23,806,373 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 240.70 doses per 100 people.

This is in line with the Ministry’s plan to provide the COVID-19 vaccine to all members of society and efforts to reach acquired immunity resulting from the vaccination, which will help reduce the number of cases and control the Covid19 virus.

Source: Emirates News Agency

ABU DHABI, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) has stressed the importance of paying close attention to young people’s psychological needs, on the occasion of the Children’s Mental Health Week, marked from 7th to 14th February.

Mental health specialists at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) pointed to the case of a 17-year-old Arab girl who has been under treatment since age 9 when doctors diagnosed her with Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Before seeking professional medical help and advice, the teenager had been criticised and bullied since kindergarten for unable to maintain her attention and focus. She regularly made mistakes, was forgetful, disorganised and often lost things. The girl struggled to follow instructions, which negatively impacted her academic performance, self-confidence and friendships.

After her parents sought treatment at SKMC, doctors were able to recognise signs of ADHD. Once the disorder was addressed and treatment ensued, the girl’s quality of life changed dramatically. Her school performance improved and, as a testament to the success of the treatment, she will soon graduate and attend classes at her dream college.

“ADHD is a common mental health condition that can cause inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. This can make studying difficult, and we see many young people with ADHD struggle in school, get lower test scores and fall behind. This can negatively affect their self-esteem, relationships and social skills. With the right support and treatment, compassion and empathy, symptoms can be reduced, and school performance improved,” said Dr. Salwa Al Hosani, Consultant Physician at SKMC.

The teenager said, “I always felt misunderstood, judged and alienated. Growing up, I felt incredibly left-out, but that changed after the doctors’ diagnosis and the start of treatment. The difference was noticeable, with my ability to focus and self-confidence increasing, which rippled into my education, social life and hobbies.

“My message to parents is if you suspect your child is different, distracted or has trouble making friends, please seek a professional opinion and always ensure they feel loved and accepted, the way my parents did for me. Next fall, I’ll begin my first semester at college, all thanks to a doctor’s visit almost a decade ago.”

Source: Emirates News Agency