SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The UAE will provide free medical examinations for more than one million students across all schools in the country, as part of the “Protection and Prevention” campaign launched on Thursday, with the goal of detecting and preventing congenital heart diseases.
The campaign, a collaboration between the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, the Emirates Association for Congenital Heart Diseases, and the Emirates Foundation for School Education, is part of the UAE’s broader efforts to improve the quality of life, health, and safety of its citizens and residents, and is the first-of-its-kind in the Arab world.
Speaking at the launch, H.E. Mohamed Saeed Al Remeithi, Advisor to the Local Affairs Sector at the Emirates Red Crescent Authority, said: "This campaign aligns with the UAE's commitment to human health, a key focus of our development process and the goal of our wise leadership. The leadership has provided advanced health services to improve the quality of life for its citizens and residents in the UAE.”
He highlighted the importance of increased health awareness in addressing the risks of congenital heart diseases among students through early detection, medical training, improved health services, and education.
The campaign's strategic partners include healthcare authorities across all emirates, medical volunteers, school nurses, and private entities such as pharmaceutical companies, medical device firms, cardiology clinics, hospitals, and universities nationwide.
Sawsan Alamiri, Head of the Health Awareness and Education Department at the Ministry of Education, told Aletihad that the Ministry's involvement in the campaign is centred on raising awareness about the importance of health and healthy lifestyles among students, parents, and teachers, while also strengthening the capabilities of the UAE's medical staff.
"The Ministry of Education has prioritised partnerships with agencies to raise awareness about congenital heart diseases and prevention. Our goal is to reduce the number of cases through early detection of congenital malformations among students, which will significantly reduce potential health issues. We plan to continue this campaign into its third year, reaching approximately one million students," Alamiri added.
The campaign’s goal to raise awareness and promote the prevention of congenital heart diseases will be achieved through educational lectures, seminars, meetings, media coverage, and the distribution of brochures and videos. The initiative will also provide training for school health professionals, consultations, and free medical exams, including sonograms, ECGs, blood pressure checks, and tests for blood sugar, cholesterol, and body fat.
All medical examinations will ensure complete protection of the students’ privacy. Medical professionals will also document congenital heart defects across the country to identify trends, reduce the prevalence of the disease, and lay the groundwork for a broader scientific study on public health in the UAE.
Salem Al Shamsi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at the Emirates Congenital Heart Disease Society, emphasised the importance of tackling congenital heart diseases as early as possible, urging all parents to register their children.
“The significance of this campaign lies in identifying these children, providing life-saving care, and conducting a thorough scientific study to ensure they are fully integrated into society. We have set clear standards to protect them and provide lifelong follow-up care,” he told Aletihad.