Health survey to update UAE database, help form policies

Dr Hussein Rand (middle) and other officials during the launch of the Ministry of Health and Prevention's National Health Survey campaign in Dubai on Wednesday. - Supplied photo

Around 30,000 people will be part of a national health survey conducted by health authorities to update the population health database and analyse the general health of the population.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) on Wednesday announced the launch of the national health survey campaign endorsed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to measure health performance indicators and support national health planning and policy strategies. Results of the survey, when finalised by third quarter of 2018, will be sent to the Supreme Council for policy formulation.
A pilot study done among 30 families has already been completed in Dubai.
Dr Hussein Abdel Rahman Rand, assistant undersecretary for health clinics and centres, said that the survey will collect reliable field data on the health situation in the UAE, which will help them to develop policies and strategies to improve the quality of healthcare services based on key health indicators.
"We want people to cooperate with the field surveyors to ease their work," he said.
The survey will cover many national indicators on sustainable health, particularly on people's behaviour and health habits, community health and risk factors, indicators of healthcare use, individual and family spending on health, environmental health, and personal health vital signs.
Alya Zaid Harbi, director of the Statistics and Research Centre, explained that the health survey will adopt a health statistics methodology to reducing mortality and morbidity, providing support services that improve life expectancy, and reducing the risk factors and burden of non-communicable diseases.
It will also help in studying some indicators related to health economics such as the rate of individual expenditure on health.
Harbi noted that the scope of the health survey covers specific groups within the community such as adults of 18 years and above, married women, children under the age of five, and the elderly aged 60 and above.
The samples were randomly selected by experts from the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Authority and comprise 40 per cent citizens and 60 per cent expatriates from 10,000 families in all seven emirates. The duration of the fieldwork, which starts on October 29, is six months.
She said the health survey would include data collection and blood tests on Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG), HbA1c, blood lipids, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, hemoglobin levels, blood pressure, height, weight and waist.
The ministry has distributed identification cards to members of the local health survey team for residents to easily identify them.

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