FNC member critical of flu control steps

Abu Dhabi: The Ministry of Health has failed to ensure rigorous H1N1 containment measures at children's play areas in shopping malls, a member of the Federal National Council (FNC) said on Tuesday.

The Health Ministry, and not the health departments at municipalities, is responsible for maintaining the high levels of cleanliness and hygiene at indoor play areas that is critical to contain the H1N1 virus, observed Hamad Harith Al Madfa, an FNC member from Sharjah.

Al Madfa said there had been no coordination between the Ministry of Health and municipalities across the UAE to come out with a protocol for H1N1 prevention and treatment at play centres.

"The Health Ministry's role should not be limited to publishing and distribution of fliers and brochures to educate parents and children about the disease. What can I do as a parent to sterilise these indoor play areas," he asked.

Al Madfa said he could stop his children from going to schools as a parent "but no one can stop my children from going to shopping malls. We see these play areas are not sterilised and fines slapped on violators may not exceed Dh500. So we urgently demand [that] the Health Ministry intervene and take effective measures to protect our children against the disease."

Campaign in schools

Al Madfa also demanded that employees of play centres be accorded training by health experts to handle suspected cases of H1N1 flu.

Dr Hanif Hassan, minister of health, meanwhile, asserted that the ministry and various institutions in the country had begun an extensive campaign targeting schools and shopping malls since the early emergence of the H1N1 virus.

Dr Hassan, who is also chairman of the Committee for Combating H1N1, said the ministry deals with the matter in full transparency and adopts all measures to ensure control of the situation at every stage.

"However, we addressed the matter with objectivity and did not succumb to panic. After all, life has to go on as usual, and no instructions were given to shut up schools or shopping malls."