Dubai: World Heart Day was observed across the emirate as various public and private health-care stakeholders took the initiative to hold free health screenings for residents.
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in collaboration with AstraZenica, began a free screening campaign across all 14 primary health-care centres as part of World Heart Day 2014 awareness activities.
Commenting on the programme, Dr Hannan Obaid, head of acute and chronic health diseases at DHA’s primary health-care sector, said: “One in four people in the UAE dies of heart disease and it is important to create awareness about heart health. The purpose of holding daily health screenings by rotation at various DHA hospitals and primary health care sectors is to tell them how lifestyle factors such as bad diet and smoking that can lead to diabetes, cholesterol, hypertension have a direct link to heart disease. Currently, heart disease is on the rise in the UAE. We will continue to hold free blood cholesterol check-ups, lipid profiles and heart screening at all our primary health centres. We are also educating people about the ills of smoking and providing them free health education on diet and exercise. Everyone is welcome to make use of this,” she added.
Elsewhere in Dubai other private health care providers also held free heart and health screenings. Medcare Hospital conducted World Heart Day medical check-up campaigns for the public at its premises in Jumeirah, near Al Safa Park, from 9am to 2pm. Over 100 patients availed of the benefits of the campaign which included free check-ups for glucose, BP and cholesterol.
The RAK Medical Centre screened a large number of people in the emirate by setting up screening centres at key malls such as Al Manar, Al Hamra and RAK Mall as well as their Ghalilah branch.
VLCC, the leading wellness brand in the Middle East and South Asia, launched an exclusive health camp to fight obesity in the UAE. As part of this initiative, VLCC centres are offering free health, wellness and medical tests to monitor cholesterol levels, blood sugar and hypertension of all their clients and their family members until the first week of October.
