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Check-ups for children under five compulsory

DUBAI — All children under the age of five in Dubai will undergo compulsory health check-ups from next year, said a senior health expert yesterday.

Sadek Karam, Director of Marketing Communication, Social Development Programme, the Executive Council, Government of Dubai, said the check-ups would be conducted only in government hospitals initially but private health institutions would be allowed to conduct such screening later.

Babies born in government hospitals would automatically undergo the check-ups.

A workshop will be held by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Takamul jointly in Rashid Hospital tomorrow to train medical experts on the new comprehensive child screening system which would be introduced early next year, said Karam.

Without giving details, he said: “The screening would be for all kinds of diseases and problems, including hereditary diseases and hearing and speech disabilities.”

The workshop would be attended by doctors and health specialists from the UAE.

It would help the experts in setting up a framework for the screening programme.

The initiative is being supported by Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director-General of DHA.