New Abu Dhabi health centre set to tackle workplace injury risk

The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, established by UAE President Sheikh Khalifa, will play a leading role in vaccination programmes

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa has established a new independent public health centre to help reduce numbers of workplace accidents. EPA

A new independent public health centre set up to combat workplace injuries and oversee vital vaccination programmes is to be launched in Abu Dhabi.

UAE President Sheikh Khalifa passed a law to establish the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre on Monday.

The centre will be responsible for compiling evidence and data related to serious workplace injuries and accidents in order to determine their cause and reduce the risk of future incidents.

The health centre is to be tasked with developing training programmes to improve levels of preventative healthcare and will also roll out awareness campaigns and educational initiatives.

Pressing issues of concern for the newly-formed body will include disease prevention and workers' health.

It will encourage members of the public to adopt healthier lifestyles as part of its wide-ranging preventative health strategy.

The centre will provide vaccinations and help to spread the word about immunisation programmes.

The UAE has adopted a strong stance on vaccinations for young people in recent years.

In 2015, a countrywide mandatory measles immunisation programme was launched for everyone aged between one and 18 years old.

The policy has helped the country to significantly reduce its number of measle cases, set against a global rise.

According to data released by the World Health Organisation, the number of cases of measles tripled worldwide in the first three months of 2019, compared to the same period last year.

The largest increase was in Africa with a 700 per cent rise in cases.

But the worst affected countries included Ukraine, Madagascar and India, where there were tens of thousands of cases per million people.

In the UAE, there were only nine confirmed cases of measles reported in the first three months of the year, compared to more than 60 in the same period in 2018, according to data from WHO.

The health centre is to operate as an independent legal authority, but will follow the policies and strategies of Abu Dhabi Department of Health.

It is not known when the centre will open or where it will be based.