2007
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Health insurance for Dubai
UAE Minister of Health Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qutami said expats living in Dubai and the Northern Emirates will be covered by a health insurance system from next year, reported Khaleej Times. He said a federal law on health insurance will be enacted to provide expat residents with health services in return for a health insurance premium. Expats in Abu Dhabi have been covered by a mandatory health insurance system since July 2006.
Kuwaiti doctors threaten strike
Thousands of Kuwaiti doctors are threatening to strike if their demands for salary increases are not met, reported the Kuwait Times. The doctors protested outside the Kuwait Medical Association to persuade the government to at least triple the amount that they currently earn. About 234 Kuwaiti doctors are reported to have resigned from their jobs in Kuwait in the last four years for better offers in neighboring countries.
Cancer-causing bug in UAE
One out of five UAE residents is likely to have a stomach bug that causes ulcers, which can lead to stomach cancer, reported Gulf News. Dr Barry Marshall, who discovered the bug along with his partner Dr Robin Warren, said Helicobacter Pylori affects 20% of the UAE community, of which one per cent may be likely to be carrying cancer.
Shisha dangers highlighted
The proposed law which would see the end of shisha smoking in public in the UAE has been bolstered by a report from the French anti-tobacco agency, OFT, according to Gulf News. The study found one shisha session is the same as smoking 70 cigarettes. Dr Layla Al Marzouqi, a cardiologist at the Dubai Hospital, said she hoped the findings would the end the 'myth' that shisha is safer than cigarettes.
UAE has 1.5% error rate
The UAE's Ministry of Health has revealed that there is a 1.5% medical error rate in the country's public hospitals and centres, reported Gulf News. Dr Ali bin Shakar, the Undersecretary at the ministry, said the figure was within accepted international standards but the department was working on a plan to reduce the number of mistakes. Bin Shakar also revealed the country has a chronic shortage of nurses.
Dubai ponders fluoride
Qadi Saeed Al Murooshid, the DG of Dubai's Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms), has said the city will consider adding fluoride to the water supply to curb tooth decay, reported Gulf News. The emirate has the highest rate of tooth decay in children aged five, 12 and 15 in the UAE and the present fluoride level in the water is far below the recommended one milligram per litre.
Healthcare market over $100bn
The Middle East's surging population is giving rise to a rapidly growing market for healthcare and its associated industries, which is now touching $100bn mark in the region, according to the Arab Health Congress. Saudi Arabia, the richest regional market, has planned to increase its number of hospitals from 264 to over 500 in next 7 years. Meawhile, the UAE healthcare market is projected to rise from $3.2bn in 2005 to $11.9bn in 2015.
New disaster response team
Deutsche Post World Net, the world's leading logistics provider, has launched a Disaster Response Team which will cover the Mena region. Based out of the DHL Express UAE headquarters in Dubai, the team of over 40 volunteers is capable of setting up an effective airport logistics operation in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, ensuring that relief supplies are efficiently sorted, stored and distributed.
UAE to monitor medical care
A new inspection strategy is being developed by federal health authorities to monitor performance at private medical institutions in the UAE, reported Khaleej Times. Dr. Ibrahim Ali Al Qadi, Director of the Private Medical Practice Department at the UAE's Ministry of Health, said the initiative is aimed at improving inspection procedures and reducing shortcomings in patient care. He said inspectors will have the authority to take legal action against violators.
Cosmetic academy at DHCC
The American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery Hospital (AACSH) announced the opening of its regional facility at the Dubai Healthcare City. AACSH will have an AACSH Educational Centre, providing surgical and non-surgical workshops. The hospital will comprise of an anti-aging unit and surgical units for cosmetic, reconstructive plastic, and hair restoration.
Food poison hits Jordan
An outbreak of fever and diarrhoea initially blamed in food poisoning has hit hundreds of Jordanians, as official toll estimated the number of people suffering from the symptoms at around 300, all from Sakeb village in the northern Jerash Governorate, reported Jordan Times. The real cause has not yet been confirmed.
UAE to desalinate more water
The UAE Minister of Environment and Water said the UAE will be able to recover from its shortage of water through a network of desalination and sewage plants, cited Gulf News. Speaking at the World Congress on Desalination and Water Reuse in the Canary Islands, Minister Mohammad Saeed Al Kindi mentioned there will be more desalination plants for the UAE to meet growing demands.
Dubai to allow private lab tests
Expats in Dubai will soon be able to undergo medical fitness tests, including blood tests, at private laboratories approved by the Department of Health and Medical Services (Dohms), reported Khaleej Times. Director-General of the department Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid said that private laboratories that meet the Dohms' criteria will be able to conduct medical tests that are required by expatriates before obtaining residency permits. The initiative is expected to launch in December.
Dubai to go green in 2008
New guidelines issued by the Dubai government will require all buildings in the emirate to be constructed as per environment-friendly "green building" standards beginning in January, reported Gulf News. Residential and commercial builders will be required to meet the 'highest international standards' in sustainable development and clean environment, making Dubai the first city in the Middle East and one of the first in the world to implement this standard.
UAE likely to cut drug prices
The UAE government is likely to cut the prices of some medicines available in the local market, reported Khaleej Times. A senior official at the Ministry of Health said the government is currently studying the possibility of lowering drug prices in the country, which are considered high compared to other Gulf states.
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