The Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) of the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, which is dedicated to enhancing the public health and preventive health system in the Emirate, has launched the School Screening Programme for the academic year 2023-2024, and calls on all parents to approve the medical screening form. This simple step significantly enables their children to make the most of the School Screening Program, ultimately achieving academic excellence and success. This initiative is a collaborative effort with the Emirates School establishment, the Department of Education and Knowledge, and the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).
The program is designed to guarantee students' well-being and good health, which, in turn, positively influences their academic performance. This is achieved through regular, comprehensive, and preventive screenings conducted within schools. These examinations serve the dual purpose of early disease detection, reducing complications according to the student's age group and providing timely measures to prevent and delay potential health issues.
The centre explained that the annual and comprehensive screening examinations are systematically carried out in educational institutions, including schools and nurseries across various academic grades. These examinations encompass weight and height measurement (body mass index calculation), vital signs assessment, vision and hearing testing, medical history, physical examination, physical examination to detect spine curvature assessment, and blood tests, in addition to dental health assessment.
Conducted at school premises, the School Screening Programme introduces a new assessment this year, which is depression screening for ninth-grade students. This is accomplished through a questionnaire administered during the comprehensive screening, aiming to assess their mental well-being.
In this regard, H.E. Dr. Omniyat Al Hajri, Executive Director of the Community Health Sector at Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre, stated, “This project underscores the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre's dedication, in partnership with its strategic stakeholders, to establish a healthy and secure learning environment for students. It achieves this by fostering student health awareness, implementing preventive measures, and promoting public health. Additionally, the program facilitates early disease detection and delivers innovative, tailored healthcare for the upcoming generations. Our objective through this initiative is to align with national public health and safety goals while contributing to the provision of comprehensive healthcare services for all.”
For more information and guidelines about the School Screening Programnme, please visit the official website of the centre at: www.adphc.gov.ae