UAE | Health
Incidence of burns drops 80% in UAE
The number of burn victims have dropped by 80 per cent in the UAE, despite seeing 12 major fires in Dubai this year alone, which killed at least 20 and injured hundreds.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:24 November 4, 2008
Dubai: The number of burn victims have dropped by 80 per cent in the UAE, despite seeing 12 major fires in Dubai this year alone, which killed at least 20 and injured hundreds.
The deadly incidents were mainly industrial fires, such as the one in Al Quoz on March 25. Other incidents were the Al Ghantoot 200-car pile-up on March 11 and a residential fire that ripped through a bachelor accommodation on August 26.
Last year, there were 2,460 fires in the UAE, which killed 40 and injured 172 people, according to the Emirates Medical Association (EMA). Dubai recorded 707 fires up to August this year, up from 598 last year.
Dr Ali Numairy, president of EMA, told Gulf News although the numbers have gone up but the rate has reduced due population growth and available facilities.
The UAE population was 4.5 million in 2007, while Dubai was 1.4 million in 2006.
""When you compare the number of fires and the number of [buildings and population], the rate has reduced dramatically," he said, crediting more awareness and more safety measures taken in facilities and buildings for the drop.
Some of the safety measures include requiring new buildings, both residential and commercial, to have appropriate and easily accessible fire exits, fire extinguishers and smoke detectors.
New buildings are also or will be hooked up to an electronic monitoring system that will notify the Civil Defence and owners.
However, he admitted the awareness was still not enough. "[Most] of the fires that occurred were accidental through negligence, poor knowledge of fire safety and improper use of equipment," he said.
Another stumbling point is the lack of fire-safety requirements for old buildings. Many buildings have no fire exits, smoke detectors and working fire extinguishers.
Numairy said the issue needed to be addressed soon. "It is wrong not to put the basic requirements in old buildings," he said.
Rights of victims
The Emirates Medical Association (EMA) came out with the Dubai Declaration on the Human Rights of Burn Victims, which they hope will become the legal framework applicable to the whole world.
The 15-point declaration, which deals with preventive and awareness measures, medical services, regulations, enforcement and compensation, will be a UAE-sponsored bill to be tabled at the next UN General Assembly session.
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