Al Ain: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has designated a UAE institution as a collaborating centre to help implement its global programmes for the improvement of occupational health.
The Institute of Public Health in Al Ain is an addition to three working WHO collaborating centres in the Emirates. It is, however, the only one for occupational health in the Middle East, said Professor Tar-chang Aw, Interim Dean of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences of UAE University.
The institute is a part of the college, and coordinates with the world health body on activities carried out by several institutions, Implementation of programmes and activities at country level, and training and education, he said.
The centre was officially launched on Monday at a ceremony attended by officials from the WHO, UAE ministries of health and labour, UAEU, other universities and hospitals.
Professor Tar said the designation has been awarded for four years and has already started working to provide effective technical help and training under the WHO guidelines. “We’re delighted to achieve the designation following two years of hard work,” he added.
Dr Ebrahim Al Qadi, Director of Preventive Medicine Administration at the UAE Ministry of Health, said the ministry has closely been monitoring occupational health and workers’ safety through various institutions across the country. A number of measures have been taken for further improvement of workers’ lives, health and occupational environment, he said.
Speaking on the occasion via tele-link from the WHO Headquarters in Geneva, Dr Ivan Ivanov, Team Leader of Occupational Health, said his organisation is delighted to work with the UAE in this field to use its expertise and technical support.
The WHO, he said, has some 800 collaborating centres in 80 countries. The number of these centres has been decreasing as the organisation is bent on improving the quality, he said.
“We look forward to working with the UAE to develop appropriate methodology for the improvement of occupational health,” he said. The WHO and the Institute of Public Health have also agreed to implement an occupational health plan in the UAE, said Dr Ivanov.
The UAE, he said, will provide technical support, suggest and implement recommendations, conduct reviews, and help in raising the facilities at the primary health level locally and regionally.
The WHO relies on the expertise of its collaborating centres and exercises leadership in shaping the international health agenda through a global network. The majority of designated institutions are departments or units of universities, laboratories, research institutes, hospitals, ministries, or national academies across the world, he added.
