Patients still held at 'prison-like' institution



DUBAI // A year and a half ago, health authorities pledged to improve the conditions in which expatriates are held pending deportation after testing positive for infectious diseases such as HIV. However, the situation in at least one secure holding centre in Dubai remains unchanged, with men and women waiting to be sent back to their home countries still being held in prison-like cells. In 2008, Dr Mustafa al Hashimi, the former director of preventive medicine at the Ministry of Health, said the facility was undergoing "repair work" as part of an overhaul of the system that sees expatriates deported if they are found to have diseases such as tuberculosis and HIV. The screening programme for infectious diseases was "under review", he said. Today, patients are still being held in the same "isolation ward" in the grounds of Al Baraha Hospital in Deira, part of a nondescript beige, one-storey building, next to a small cafeteria, Fury Restaurant. According to hospital workers, the ward previously served as a laboratory. The bars on the windows are the only sign from the outside that it is now used for a different purpose. Inside, a lone private security guard mans the door to the main detention area - two cells, one for each gender. Locked metal doors prevent people inside from leaving the facility, but a small window in each door allows staff and visitors to communicate with those being held and to pass them food and water. The cells have bathroom facilities. Inside the male section, men could be seen lying on bunk beds. On the other side of the dividing wall, at least one woman was quietly seated on her bed. A 29-year-old man, who declined to be named, was recently held inside the facility for eight days, before being deported to his native India. He underwent the mandatory blood tests to renew his residency visa before being asked to return to the hospital several days later for another check-up, only to end up in detention - a story echoed by others who previously spent time in the isolation ward. "They told me 'come here, we want to talk to you' and then they locked me inside," he said in a telephone interview from India. "It's looks like a jail. I was scared." The man, who worked as a sales executive in the UAE for six years and is unmarried, was told by an on-duty security guard that he was HIV positive. The man claims he asked to be retested, to no avail. He also claims that in all the time he was detained he did not receive any medical attention. He shared the cell with four other men, including a "very sick" African man, who was eventually removed from the facility after his condition deteriorated. The Indian man is now undergoing medical tests in India to confirm whether he is HIV positive. The Ministry of Health did not to comment on whether there are still plans to upgrade such facilities, including the one at Al Baraha. It also remains unclear how many people in total are being held pending deportation, or where other such facilities are located. As far back as 2006, the ministry promised that holding facilities such as the one at Al Baraha would be improved. At the beginning of 2009, a fully equipped quarantine section at the Medical Fitness Centre in Al Muhaisana was opened for expatriates who failed the compulsory TB test. But it is a far cry from the Al Baraha isolation ward, where little has changed in the past 18 months. zconstantine@thenational.ae

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Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine 

Power: 420kW

Torque: 780Nm

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Price: From Dh1,350,000

On sale: Available for preorder now

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How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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Who: France v Croatia
When: Sunday, July 15, 7pm (UAE)
TV: Game will be shown live on BeIN Sports for viewers in the Mena region

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Why it pays to compare

A comparison of sending Dh20,000 from the UAE using two different routes at the same time - the first direct from a UAE bank to a bank in Germany, and the second from the same UAE bank via an online platform to Germany - found key differences in cost and speed. The transfers were both initiated on January 30.

Route 1: bank transfer

The UAE bank charged Dh152.25 for the Dh20,000 transfer. On top of that, their exchange rate margin added a difference of around Dh415, compared with the mid-market rate.

Total cost: Dh567.25 - around 2.9 per cent of the total amount

Total received: €4,670.30 

Route 2: online platform

The UAE bank’s charge for sending Dh20,000 to a UK dirham-denominated account was Dh2.10. The exchange rate margin cost was Dh60, plus a Dh12 fee.

Total cost: Dh74.10, around 0.4 per cent of the transaction

Total received: €4,756

The UAE bank transfer was far quicker – around two to three working days, while the online platform took around four to five days, but was considerably cheaper. In the online platform transfer, the funds were also exposed to currency risk during the period it took for them to arrive.

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Founder: Abdulla Almoayed

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MATCH INFO

Jersey 147 (20 overs) 

UAE 112 (19.2 overs)

Jersey win by 35 runs

Thanksgiving meals to try

World Cut Steakhouse, Habtoor Palace Hotel, Dubai. On Thursday evening, head chef Diego Solis will be serving a high-end sounding four-course meal that features chestnut veloute with smoked duck breast, turkey roulade accompanied by winter vegetables and foie gras and pecan pie, cranberry compote and popcorn ice cream.

Jones the Grocer, various locations across the UAE. Jones’s take-home holiday menu delivers on the favourites: whole roast turkeys, an array of accompaniments (duck fat roast potatoes, sausages wrapped in beef bacon, honey-glazed parsnips and carrots) and more, as  well as festive food platters, canapes and both apple and pumpkin pies.

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, The Address Hotel, Dubai. This New Orleans-style restaurant is keen to take the stress out of entertaining, so until December 25 you can order a full seasonal meal from its Takeaway Turkey Feast menu, which features turkey, homemade gravy and a selection of sides – think green beans with almond flakes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sweet potato casserole and bread stuffing – to pick up and eat at home.

The Mattar Farm Kitchen, Dubai. From now until Christmas, Hattem Mattar and his team will be producing game- changing smoked turkeys that you can enjoy at home over the festive period.

Nolu’s, The Galleria Mall, Maryah Island Abu Dhabi. With much of the menu focused on a California inspired “farm to table” approach (with Afghani influence), it only seems right that Nolu’s will be serving their take on the Thanksgiving spread, with a brunch at the Downtown location from 12pm to 4pm on Friday.

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Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.