UAE | Health
UAE adds Hepatitis C to list of deportable diseases
The UAE has added blood-borne disease hepatitis C to the list of deportable diseases, which includes HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis B, effective July 1.
- By Nina Muslim, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:50 April 20, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- People wait at Al Baraha hospital in Deira for a medical examination that will get them a health card. The picture is for illustrative purposes only.
Dubai: The UAE has added blood-borne disease hepatitis C to the list of deportable diseases, which includes HIV, tuberculosis and hepatitis B, effective July 1.
The Cabinet recently approved including the new test for expatriates applying for residency and labour visas. The decision applies to the Health Ministry, and the health authorities of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Dr Ali Al Marzouqi, Director of General and Public Health at Dubai Health Authority, told Gulf News he received the circular announcing the decision last week.
"It's for everyone - for new and renewing of visas. Anyone who tests positive for hepatitis C virus [HCV] will be deported," he said.
Dr Mahmoud Fikree, CEO of Health Policies at the Health Ministry, told Gulf News a technical committee was working on how to implement the decision. "When we have the whole package, we will announce it," he said.
The thalassaemia community and activists are worried how the final decision would affect some of their numbers.
Related Links
People with thalassaemia, a genetic blood disorder, require frequent blood transfusions to survive. Some patients in the UAE were infected with HCV, which causes severe liver damage and failure, spread through tainted blood supplies and needles.
The UAE started screening blood supplies for the virus in 1992, in accordance with World Health Organisation recommendations.
Saeed Jafar Al Awadi, a board member of the Emirates Thalassaemia Society (ETS) and thalassaemia patient, told Gulf News thalassaemia patients should be exempted from the requirement.
"They cannot [take] the decision for thalassaemia patients with HCV. It is unfair because they only have the disease through our mistake. They never had the disease until they came here," he said, adding his brother was infected through tainted blood supplies.
ETS said it supports 25 expatriate patients with HCV. Actual figures for HCV in the UAE are scant as no study on the disease's prevalence has been done.
Al Awadi said anyone who contracted the virus while in the UAE, such as accident victims or patients who received tainted blood, should not be deported.
Latest news
- Last chance for subscribers to win big
- Gang charged with robbery using air-freshener
- it was just a ‘vampire' game, driver tells court
- Educating fussy Emirati jobseekers
- Abu Dhabi Police rescue victims of car crash
- Sharjah festival to enlighten heritage lovers
- 9 injured as paraglider crashes into stadium
- Bridges needed
- Reimbursement of ID card fines to start in March
- Dubai Police solve murder mystery
- Restaurateur found dead in Abu Dhabi flat
- Police honour residents who reported crime
- Compensation to vary for fire victims
- Move to promote Abu Dhabi tourism
- RTA: 0.25m YouTube, Facebook, Twitter followers
Community Reports
-
Bridges needed
Al Ittihad Road has no pedestrian facilities as one nears Sharjah
-
Street lights needed
Authorities urged to act with haste before a major accident occurs in Al Nahda, Dubai
-
Motorists ignore stop sign on buses
Overtaking school vehicles can put students' lives at risk
-
Safety regulations flouted at Dubai work place
In Al Nahda 2, two workers were seen working on the crane boom at a height of 20m without a full body harness or safety net in violation of rules
