Patients ‘must carry paperwork’

Abu Dhabi Police have urged families and people with Multiple Sclerosis to carry personal medical documents and family contacts with them at all times to prove they are legitimate sufferers if questioned.

ABU DHABI // Abu Dhabi Police have urged families and people with multiple sclerosis to carry personal medical documents and family contacts at all times to prove they are legitimate sufferers if questioned.

Abu Police said its officers have been expertly “trained in dealing with different conditions and people” in response to the plight of a Jordanian family who fear that their 30-year-old son will be arrested again because his MS symptoms make him appear intoxicated.

They said that they were “keen on taking the moral and humanitarian aspects into account when dealing with the public in efforts to boost trust and maintain stability”.

However, they said it was important that families and patients cooperate by carrying these documents to prevent “fraudsters from posing as MS patients”.

This, the police said, would help “promote safety and security” and to guarantee that they receive their legal rights.

They said that if a person is stopped on suspicion caused by an unsteady gait, their documentation is first checked and if caused by a medical condition, then assistance is immediately provided.

The case of the Jordanian family, Abu Dhabi Police said, is considered “rare” and is dealt with accordingly. The police ensure that individuals do not harm themselves or others and reach their destination safely.

If need be, they said, “an ambulance will be called to transport the patient to the nearest safe place or their family or the community police will be notified to handle the case”.