UAE urged to take lead in Gulf maternal health

DUBAI // A World Health Organisation official yesterday called on governments across the Gulf to focus more resources and attention on the health of newborns and their mothers.

Dr Haifa Madi, director of health protection and promotion for the WHO regional office for the eastern Mediterranean, said: "It is easy to address maternal and child health - we need resources. We need the commitment of politicians."

Dr Madi was speaking on the first day of a four-day meeting organised by the WHO and the Ministry of Health in Dubai.

She called on Gulf nations with more advanced health programmes, such as the UAE, to use their expertise to help other countries in the region to reduce maternal and infant mortality.

"We are considered one region, after all, and we need to achieve success," she said. "We need solidarity for the region."

Dr Madi joined health officials across the eastern Mediterranean in promoting the health of mothers and their children.

Along with officials from the UAE, representatives from about 14 countries including Yemen, Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Jordan attended the gathering.

"This meeting intends to discuss ways and make recommendations that can benefit the health of both mother and child," Dr Salem al Darmaki, acting undersecretary at the Ministry of Health, said.

"The health of mother and child is considered to be a collective responsibility whereby all sides need to work together to implement health programmes and services that achieve the highest standards.

"Achievements in the areas of maternal health over the past few years are reflected positively in health indicators. This shows that the UAE has taken a role among the advanced countries, not only through the use of the latest technology but also through advanced policies and strategies to achieve these goals."

Dr Hajer al Hosani, director of the maternal and child health department at the Ministry of Health, said: "We consider ourselves to be among the advanced nations who take a lot of care when it comes to maternal and child health.

"One indicator is that our maternal mortality from 2004 until 2008 was zero, which is rare for any country to achieve. Almost all child births, 99.9 per cent, take place at hospitals under medical supervision across the UAE."

Also, due to health screening before a baby is born, the infant mortality rate is low, Dr al Hosani said.

"Antenatal care for women and vaccinations for children is extremely important to us and widely available," she said.

"When it comes to infant mortality for those under the age of 1, it is seven for every 1,000 births, and for those under the age of 5, it is nine for every 1,000, which is considered to be low and an excellent average overall."

balqabbani@thenational.ae