Education and awareness
It’s not the country’s fault for what its people say (‘Boys will be boys’: Outrageous rape comments by India politicians,’ Gulf News, June 15). I feel sorry for any abuse a woman goes through. I have a mother, a sister, a wife and hopefully a daughter one day.
Rapes and other abuses happen everywhere in the world, not only in Pakistan and India. Awareness, education and security can end such hideous crimes but until we have people like these ruling our countries, I am afraid we have to fight for our women.
From Mr Faisal Mohammad
Sharjah
Facebook comment
Disrespectful
Being a woman myself, I am appalled at the comments made by some of the Indian politicians. I fail to understand why these people and what they say is given any attention by the media. By making such senseless comments, these leaders are only encouraging men to take women for granted.
It is a matter of great shame that these leaders who should come up with strict policies to protect and safeguard women are defending criminals.
From Ms Fatima Suhail
Dubai
Change mentalities
Covering your entire body and not fraternising with boys does not prevent rape. These are not intelligent arguments to defend violence against women. Rape has been around since the beginning of human civilisation. We need to change mentalities towards women so that this may save your wife, daughter or sister before you find this horrific crime has happened to them, too.
From Mr Prakash Limbu
Abu Dhabi
No cure
My daughter is almost three years old and has this same condition (‘My 19-year-old daughter is a toddler’, Gulf News, June 15). I sent her to Germany and sent her blood samples to one of the most important genetic labs in the world for analyses. It’s true that there is no cure for this condition. It is heartbreaking but the fact that she is in my life is worth the whole world to me and more. I know exactly how you feel and I wish you and her a blissful life together.
From Mr Karim R. A. Altal
Dubai
Facebook comment
Not a fan
These poor guys are made to work an extra three hours more because of this rule (‘Midday break for UAE workers begins,’ Gulf News, June 15). This makes them reach home late at night. They get less sleep as they have to wake up in the early morning at around 4am to get ready for work. Most people I talked to aren’t happy about this midday rule.
From Mr Jasser Ali
Dubai
Hard work
It’s very hard for them, especially in the summer season. They work hard, sleep less and have moderate amounts to eat, to earn and save money for their loved ones.
From Mr Jawed Shaikh
Dubai
Finally good news
Finally some sense. These poor workers sacrifice their family, their country and everything to earn money for the family. Now they will be treated better, thank you to the UAE authorities. This is good news.
From Ms Maimuna Or Maim
Chicago, Illinois
Take care
Please do some good things for the labourers. They are also human beings. Please treat them nicely. We are all very sophisticated but without air conditioning, we can’t survive. But they are not asking anything much.
From Ms Ramya Devarajan
UAE
Lessen the burden
Every human has a right to be cared for (‘No basic health cover for singles in Dubai,’ Gulf News, June 14). There should be medical insurance offered to everyone and at a high quality. The people working for a company are the biggest assets. If they are healthy and well cared for, their company will prosper. I think if the coverage is expensive, the companies or individuals should be able to pay in monthly instalments. I think this would lessen the burden.
From Mr Pasha
Dubai
Website comment
Expensive medication
I think there is a dangerous and harmful nexus between insurance companies, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. As a result, people with insurance coverage get enough and more medicine than they can use. Each time the doctor is visited; there is a significant wastage of medicine as a result of over prescriptions. At the same time, in other areas in the world, people are dying because they don’t even have basic medicine for common illnesses. When was the last time anyone with insurance visited the doctor and left without being given a very expensive antibiotic or something similar? Does anyone check the cost of the medicine?
From Mr George
Dubai
Website comment
Complying with the rules
Although the authorities have taken very good steps to ensure the low income workers get medical insurance, I have come across many workers when I inquire saying that their company doesn’t provide them with the proper facilities. I would request the authorities to also keep a check on those companies who don’t comply with the rules.
From Mr Nadeem
Dubai
Website comment
Need for change
In my opinion, the medical field and insurance is a multimillion dollar industry without ethics and humanity. I wish governments all over the world would provide free access to education and healthcare to all citizens. That would change the world.
From Mr Nadeem
Saudi Arabia
Website comment
Bad experiences
I think it is the usual practice of the insurance companies to refuse the medicines prescribed by the doctor and to give some other medicine, which the pharmacist says are with the same composition. If it is so, these situations must be changed and in case it happens, the public in general must be aware how or where to complaint. I have had bad experiences several times.
From Ms Aneesh Kumar
Dubai
Website comment
A business
We all might criticise insurance companies for being very expensive and not offering the coverage needed, but we have to look at things from their perspective also. Your doctor’s clinic and the insurance company is also a business, not a social responsibility. And so it would make sense if the minute the hospital or clinic you attend finds out that you have full coverage health insurance, they will really ‘go to town’ on you. The most profitable, and inconvenient for the patient, are the laboratory services. If you go to the doctor with a malady that requires a simple medication to treat and you have health insurance, I think that the chances are high that the doctor will order a battery of unnecessary blood or urine tests. They will all come up negative and the malady will have already cleared itself up by the time you get the results and the clinic has walked away with upwards of Dh1000 for tests they knew were not necessary in the first place.
So, the next time any of us are having trouble sourcing affordable insurance, we ought to thank the clinics and hospitals for the high premiums we or our employer pays because of the practices mentioned above.
From Ms Sarah Louise
Sharjah
A suggestion
The authorities must come up with a central insurance company that must act as a central insurance authority and all individuals and companies must be made to produce a pre-defined insurance policy. Basically, this authority would act like a broker. In this way, the authorities can help its residents and make sure that all can have insurance policies, starting with a basic package. Hope this will be considered.
From Mr Habeeb Hassan
Dubai
Too quick to blame
People are quick to make statements and show how smart they are (‘Saudi toddler survives slaughter attempt by her brother,’ Gulf News, June 15), until it happens to them.
Maybe he was busy and just took the small boy with him. It could be any number of reasons. He is not supposed to be blamed. He could have learnt it from the television or anywhere else. So, if the child did it, I don’t think the parents can be blamed fully.
From Mr Mudasser Hussain
UAE
Facebook comment
Speedy recovery
Please do not blame the father. We are only human and cannot foresee everything that is going to happen around us. Sometimes terrible things like this happen because of a split second misjudgement. Just pray for the speedy recovery of the child and pray to God for our safety and guidance in every matter.
From Mr Mohammad Faisal
Dubai
Too young to see this
The ignorance of the parents can be astounding. A three-year-old is too young to witness an animal being slaughtered. This could cause both children severe trauma for life.
From Ms Shanzeh S. Haque
Dubai
Too much exposure
It is very important not to expose your children to ttoo much. They will learn everything in time. Do not worry to teach your children everything you want because you will not be able to do that. Worry about their mental health so they can think, link and articulate before they do any negative actions.
The best thing to do before you act is to expect the worst of your actions. I see many parents wanting to transfer traditions to their children, but they end up not giving them anything. A child’s place is in school and at home with their parents. Not in a market place or in the streets.
From Mr Hashem
Dubai
Website comment
Dangerous age
This little boy should not even be able to reach a knife. I have a 14-month-old baby and we cannot even blink for one second because children at that age and older are very curious and unaware of what is dangerous.
From Ms Hazel Ali Hayek
Auckland, New Zealand
Facebook comment
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