DUBAI // A national cancer registry, a system to monitor hospital waiting times and an action plan to streamline the standards of doctors and health professionals are among a dozen national initiatives in the pipeline to improve the UAE’s health sector, according to the Ministry of Health.
The health body also wants to implement a comprehensive national programme to ensure regular health check-ups for every Emirati. It also wants to establish a structure for employees working in the government medical sector to improve their professional skills and attract more to the medical field and set up unified national standards for all UAE hospitals.
“Such decisions not only enrich the health sector but are a vital element for the development and progress of this sector,” said Dr Aisha Al Mutawa, director of strategy and institutional excellence at the MoH.
The plans are part of the Ministry’s 2014-2016 plan, in line with the UAE Vision 2021, she said.
“The ministry’s strategy aims for establishing an ambitious vision that accommodates the demands and vision of the UAE federal government for the year 2021.”
Other plans in the pipeline include a mobile healthcare programme to help residents living in remote areas, a national database for all medical facilities to ease the transfer of patients between public and private hospitals, a new medical research and development centre and a medical training centre.
The MoH also wants to enhance the nursing profession and establish a programme to attract Emiratis in the field.
Other initiatives include establishing a nationwide awareness programme to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle to protect the community from obesity-related diseases. This will include determining the size of soft drinks, imposing restrictions on commercials for unhealthy foods and displaying calorie counts on food tags.
This will coincide with setting streamlined standards for health and nutrition in public and private schools, said Dr Al Mutawa.
“The Ministry of Health has established a future plan to adopt health strategies and policies that are closer to the new realities and coincide with the World Health Organisation (WHO) strategies to provide comprehensive health services to improve the development of the country and the nation.”
The strategy is in line with the vision of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, she said.
“It also targets the development of the health sector in the UAE to sustain health for a UAE community enjoying comprehensive and long-lasting healthcare life.
“The Ministry of Health mission seeks to enhance the health of individuals and society through the provision of comprehensive and excellent health services in a healthy and sustainable environment through local and international effective policies, legislations, programmes and partnerships.”
Dr Al Mutawa said the health sector faced several challenges, including the rapidly growing population and the high rates of chronic ailments including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, asthma, cancer and mental health diseases that the Ministry of Health wants to address.
jbell@thenational.ae
