All Dubai residents can now contact Dubai Health Authority (DHA) doctors via video and voice calls, for free 24/7 consultation and queries regarding COVID-19. DHA is providing this service through its Doctor for Every Citizen initiative, which was launched by the authority last December to fulfill the goals of Article 5 of the Fifty-Year Charter. The initiative, which initially provided family medicine consultations for Emiratis, will now provide free consultation to all Dubai Residents for COVID-19.
Dr Manal Taryam, CEO of the Primary Healthcare Sector at DHA said that the authority will utilise telemedicine — which refers to remote clinical healthcare facilitated through apps, calls, and video calls — to provide the public with consultation from certified DHA physicians.
Residents who want answers to their health queries from official sources or are concerned about any symptoms they have can also contact the Doctor for Every Citizen service.
Dr Taryam said that the Doctor for Every Citizen initiative will cover initial consultation and follow-ups, where the physician uses a telehealth platform to communicate with the person while viewing his medical record. The physician will also be able to request lab and radiology tests as well as issue electronic prescriptions.
Under the new service, the public will have 24/7 access to doctors, specialists and consultants who are DHA certified and trained on using telehealth.
“To access this service all they have to do is download the DHA mobile app and sign up. They then have to book an appointment for the Doctor for Every Citizen service by calling the DHA toll-free number 800 342. Doctors and patients can opt for check-ups via video-call or voice-call.”
FAQs about COVID-19
How do you greet people while having respiratory symptoms such as a cough and a cold?
Avoid shaking hands and just wave.
Avoid nose-to-nose greeting.
Avoid hugging or kissing others.
Can face masks protect me from COVID-19?
Face masks can’t protect you from the disease, in fact, it can cause the user to constantly touch their face to adjust their mask, which increases the risk of transmission if your hand is infected.
It should only be used under two conditions:
If you are suffering from respiratory symptoms such as coughing and sneezing
If you are taking care of someone suffering from respiratory symptoms
Can antibiotics cure COVID-19?
No it can’t, antibiotics fight bacteria and have no effect on viruses.
Can influenza vaccine prevent COVID-19?
No it can’t because they can only fight the virus that causes influenza, which is different from the COVID- 19 virus.
Can I shop online?
Yes, you can. There is no scientific evidence until now, which proves that COVID-19 can be transmitted through products.
Am I at risk of being infected with COVID-19 if an infected person walks past me?
No, it can only be transmitted if you have direct contact with the person infected (less than two meters away) through constant contact, and through touching.
Why should we avoid touching our eyes, nose and mouth before washing our hands or sanitising them?
While touching surfaces, your hands can collect a number of viruses, which then can be transferred to your eyes, nose and mouth when touching them.
In the absence of a tissue, why should we use the inner part of our arms when coughing or sneezing?
The droplets that come out when coughing and sneezing contribute to the spread of viruses such as cold and flu. It is best to use the inner part of the arm if a tissue is not available because there is no contact between that part and the things that we frequently touch or use.
