ABU DHABI // Health insurance companies have been urged to cover the cost of tests for sexually transmitted diseases to reduce the spread of infection and the potentially dangerous consequences of untreated conditions.
The expense is putting some people off seeking medical help, said Nazura Siddiqi, a gynaecologist at LifeLine Hospital in Mussaffah.
“STDs are not covered by any insurance, either for detection or treatment, even if you have a problem,” she said. “This means that if your doctor thinks you have a herpes infection, you have to pay the cost of the herpes diagnostic test.”
A herpes test costs about Dh400, and treatment for any STD can be expensive.
“It is difficult for some,” Dr Siddiqi said.
“The cost is a prohibitory factor. A lot of them do not want to do the tests as advised by their physicians.”
This can be especially true for the lower paid, who can be more at risk of STDs because of a lack of awareness and education.
“I think STDs should be treated like any other disease and should be covered,” she said.
STDs can have serious consequences beyond the immediate impact of the infection itself, such as mother-to-child transmission of infections and chronic diseases.
“If left untreated, it has huge implications because it can be transmitted to other people,” she said. “They also have long-standing implications.”
Diseases such as gonorrhoea can lead to chronic pelvic infections and infertility due to tubal blockage, Dr Siddiqi said. “Diseases like gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV can all be transmitted to the foetus during pregnancy and lead to foetal malformations and foetal infection.
“Some, like syphilis, affect the whole body including the brain, and some, such as HIV, can even cause death.”
Dr Fady Hachem, a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at Burjeel Hospital in Abu Dhabi, said it was important to have basic insurance to cover tests.
“The price of each test is approximately Dh350 and it depends on the test – it could reach up to almost Dh4,000 if we request all the tests be taken.”
Medication was also expensive and many people could not afford the treatment, he said. Sometimes patients neglect to be checked because of the cost.
“Screening is very important, the problem is the cost. Sometimes the patients have mild symptoms and don’t take the issue into consideration. Sometimes the symptoms are severe, they know they have an STD.”
In many cases, however, no signs or symptoms occur. Those without symptoms could end up being carriers, Dr Hachem said.
The Health Authority Abu Dhabi was unable to provide local statistics, but the World Health Organisation says an estimated 500 million people a year worldwide become ill with one of four sexually transmitted infections: chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis or trichomoniasis.
The diseases are spread mainly through sexual contact but some infections can spread through skin contact, sharing razors, sharing needles while injecting drugs and through contact with the blood of anyone infected.
Most diseases can be cured or contained with medication.
Daman, the main health insurer in Abu Dhabi, declined to comment.
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The five stages of early child’s play
From Dubai-based clinical psychologist Daniella Salazar:
1. Solitary Play: This is where Infants and toddlers start to play on their own without seeming to notice the people around them. This is the beginning of play.
2. Onlooker play: This occurs where the toddler enjoys watching other people play. There doesn’t necessarily need to be any effort to begin play. They are learning how to imitate behaviours from others. This type of play may also appear in children who are more shy and introverted.
3. Parallel Play: This generally starts when children begin playing side-by-side without any interaction. Even though they aren’t physically interacting they are paying attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire to be with other children.
4. Associative Play: At around age four or five, children become more interested in each other than in toys and begin to interact more. In this stage children start asking questions and talking about the different activities they are engaging in. They realise they have similar goals in play such as building a tower or playing with cars.
5. Social Play: In this stage children are starting to socialise more. They begin to share ideas and follow certain rules in a game. They slowly learn the definition of teamwork. They get to engage in basic social skills and interests begin to lead social interactions.
Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics
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The five pillars of Islam
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Results
Stage 7:
1. Caleb Ewan (AUS) Lotto Soudal - 3:18:29
2. Sam Bennett (IRL) Deceuninck-QuickStep - same time
3. Phil Bauhaus (GER) Bahrain Victorious
4. Michael Morkov (DEN) Deceuninck-QuickStep
5. Cees Bol (NED) Team DSM
General Classification:
1. Tadej Pogacar (SLO) UAE Team Emirates - 24:00:28
2. Adam Yates (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers - 0:00:35
3. Joao Almeida (POR) Deceuninck-QuickStep - 0:01:02
4. Chris Harper (AUS) Jumbo-Visma - 0:01:42
5. Neilson Powless (USA) EF Education-Nippo - 0:01:45
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Mountain%20Boy
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
