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Medical centres
resort to SMS ads

ABU DHABI — Riding on the trend set by many commercial establishments, health centres and medical practitioners in the UAE have now started to personalise their approach by advertising their services through SMS (short message service).

The Ministry of Health allows SMS advertising if they meet its criteria.

“Are you afraid of the pain when u treat ur teeth? Dr Mouafaq has extensive expertise and is successful in treating teeth painfree call…” goes one text message that circulated across
the UAE recently.

Dr Mouafaq Al Sidai, a dentist and owner of the Mouafaq Dental Clinic in Dubai who has commissioned Etisalat’s service to mass distribute his message, said he has tried other forms of advertisement in the past, including newspaper, radio and TV.

“After experience, I find that SMS is the best way to attract patients and also has the cheapest cost for advertising,” Dr Mouafaq told Khaleej Times.

The service has cost him eight fils per SMS for around 200 potential
customers.

This is the first time Dr Mouafaq used the SMS medium and he is pleased with the results as soon after, his office started receiving calls for appointments as well as walk-in patients.

Encouraged by his success, Dr Mouafaq has commissioned a follow-up SMS to announce his clinic’s promotional offer this time.

“Do you want the whitest teeth to smile confidently in one hour? Now you can get the special spring offer for limited time only Dh1295. Call now ...,” said the latest message.

A slimming centre in Dubai has also joined the fray with enticing messages like “Eggs, fish, chicken, paneer, veggies. You can eat and lose kgs and inches (from 95 to 59kg). Call Al Maha Slim
Eat & Lose.”

When the HealthPlus Women’s Health Centre in Abu Dhabi opened in February, it was widely publicised on TV, newspaper and radio but not through the messaging system.

But this is in the pipeline. Dr. Walid Sayed, medical director and consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the centre, said a comprehensive advertising campaign is underway within the next two months to coincide with the opening of a new facility. During this period, they plan to advertise the Women Centre through SMS.

“Nowadays, people are using SMS more. It is the fastest and accurate way to advertise as it reaches a lot of people,” he pointed out.

He added that they are currently coordinating with an agency to target both Etisalat and Du subscribers.

For medical practitioners and entities like the Mouafaq Dental Clinic and Al Maha Slim, advertising their services requires the approval of the Ministry of Health (MoH).

According to Dr Amin Al Amiri, CEO for Medical Practice and Licence at the MoH, the ministry’s Medical Advertising Department reviews all types of advertisements of medical centres, private hospitals, professionals or any medical or pharmaceutical companies.

“The department reviews the advertisement and as per the rules and regulations of the UAE and Decree No. 7
for 2007 from the Cabinet, we approve,” he said.

“It is easy to get approval,” he said, provided that the contents are within the MoH regulation and do not carry any “medical claim/statement” in terms of new practice, technology or mode of treatment such as when claiming to have the medicine that can cure a certain disease.

“We study the technique which is behind the advertisement... if (it is) approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the European Union (EU), we will approve it. We have to make sure that those advertisements will not mislead the people,” he stressed.

The approved copy only will be allowed for release after it has the official signature and number.

Dr Al Amiri said any medical advertisement is numbered by the MoH and is to be released within a certain period of time only. All media institutions or organisations, including Etisalat and du for text messages, are not allowed to release any medical ad unless
it has a number and seal of approval from the ministry.

Any medical advertisement distributed without the MoH approval will be taken out and appropriate
penalty will be imposed which on some could mean a hefty fine.
 olivia@khaleejtimes.com