Dubai: The Ministry of Health plans on extending its home visit service for a wider variety of patients, an initiative that is still in the planning stage, a representative of the Emirates Nursing Association (ENA), said.

Dr Mahmoud Al Fikri, Executive Director of Health Policies in Ministry of Health described nursing as a noble profession, during an ENA conference. "Therefore, new plans are being constructed in order to develop the home-visitation service that will cater to every segment in society from the elderly, to pre and post natal women and others."

The visitation services granted for some patients by the Ministry of Health were available in all emirates, but directed mainly to the elderly. The service will be reinforced by applying more guidelines, and to ensure that the service will be available for a wider variety in society.

Declining number

"The main problem we have in achieving this service correctly is the declining number of nursing staff under the Ministry of Health." Said Laila Al Bahri, Secretary of ENA and Director of Nursing Authority in Umm Al Quwain hospital.

"We are trying to recruit more nationals to join the nursing staff, we have achieved some results but more work is needed." The service will extend to include many segments of society in need of treatment, and not limited to the elderly.

"We wish to include pre- and post-natal women, individuals with special needs, and individuals with chronic diseases that require constant care and attention but wish to remain with their families during the treatment period. It will also benefit citizens who live in the northern emirates and have to travel a great distance in order to reach a hospital for treatment," said Laila.

"Our goal for this service is to provide full care at the same time full comfort for patients who wish to remain at home during treatment. We try to limit the expenses and efforts of the patient from travelling great distances by delivering the medical care to his or her home," said Obaid Esmail Al Jenaidi, president of the Emirates Nursing Association.