Dubai
One-third of the world’s population lacks access to essential medicines, according to the Médecins Sans Frontières official website. The World Health Organisation states that Africa and India have the highest concentration of such people, with approximately 15 per cent and 38 per cent of their respective populations living without access to essential medicines.
A report published in March by the United Nations (UN) stated that three-fourths of the world’s population has no access to proper pain relief treatment.
Lack of access to medicines is an issue that grows more critical by the day. But organisations in the UAE are doing their part to help.
Non-profit groups such as the Emirates Red Crescent and government organisations such as Dubai Health Authority and Dubai Municipality have all conducted donation drives for unused medicines.
Gulf News spoke to Walid Shabaan, manager of the Emirates Red Crescent charity medical centre in Sharjah, who confirmed that through the ‘Dose of Help’ campaign by youth group Students for the Earth, over 1,000 units of medication were donated to the organisation. They utilise these unused medicines to treat patients who visit their medical centre in Sharjah and are unable to afford the treatment.
Shabaan provided a checklist on what you need to know before donating your unused medicines.
He said: “Make sure that your medicines have at least six months to one year left before they expire. All containers of liquid medicines must be sealed. The medicines should have been stored safely in a cool, dry place.”
In 2014, about 38,000 people sought the centre’s assistance. Residents who are interested in donating unused medicines can call the organisation at 800 733.
In 2011, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) launched the ‘Clean Your Medicine Cabinet’ campaign, which is still ongoing, to help residents get rid of unused and expired medicines. At least 16 pharmacies in the emirate and four DHA hospitals started accepting expired or unused medication. Since then, every month, medicines worth approximately half a million dirhams have been donated to UAE charities.
Dr Ali Sayed, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Dubai Health Authority, said: “The aim of the campaign is two-fold — safe and effective disposal of deteriorated or expired medicines, and donation of valid medications to charities.”
Similarly, in 2014, the Dubai Municipality launched ‘A Dose of Medicine... A Dose of Hope’ campaign during the holy month of Ramadan, which aimed to collect unused medicines to distribute to charities and people in need.
— The writer is an intern with the Readers Desk at Gulf News.
