Updates from Arab Health include a healthcare industry congress, health law changes in Dubai, and a new smoking ban.
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Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, yesterday issued two decrees appointing the chairman and director general of Dubai Health Authority.
The first decree appoints Shaikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and Minister of Finance and Industry, as Chairman of the authority.
The second decree appoints Qhadi Saeed Al Muroshid, as Director General of the authority.
The two decrees take effect from the date of issuance. Shaikh Mohammad’s decree is part of a master plan to develop the health sector in Dubai.
It came just two days after Shaikh Mohammad issued a law establishing the Dubai Health authority, which will be responsible for restructuring the health sector in Dubai.
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The Abu Dhabi Medical Congress is from 2 – 6 September 2007 at the NEW Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre which will be bringing together the healthcare professionals to meet and network with. This comprehensive medical event will cover all major aspects affecting the Healthcare industry from decontamination and sterilization to healthcare insurance regulations. And this year they are introducing a new Primary Healthcare Congress.
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Dubai started to ban smoking in government buildings, schools and colleges from May 31, the first step in a plan to ban smoking across the emirate by the end of 2009. “Tomorrow will be the launch of gradual steps to regulate smoking in public areas,” Zohoor Al-Sabbagh, head of the clinic and community health section at Dubai Municipality, said on May 30. “We will start with government offices and educational establishments … there will be a gradual ban on smoking in public areas,” she told Reuters.
From Sept 15, smoking will be banned in the hallways, food courts, children’s play areas and emergency exits of Dubai’s sprawling shopping malls, Sabbagh said. Later on, restaurants and cafes will need to set aside a special section for smokers, comprising no more than 25 percent of their seating area.
Starting next year, the Dubai Municipality will impose fines on people caught smoking in non-smoking zones, in a bid to stub out the habit in all public places by the end of 2009, she conveyed.
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