Tag Archives: horse-racing
Major heart surgery conducted on young woman
Major heart surgery conducted on young woman asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com (Staff Reporter) / 28 May 2013 When the young, newlywed Emirati Zahra Marhoon came to Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) Hospital emergency room complaining of severe upper backache and shortness of breath, little did she and her family members know that she was suffering from life-threatening coronary artery disease. Based on her family history, 32-year-old Zahra was found to be a high-risk patient with diabetes and a history of premature coronary artery disease similar to her mother who suffered from it when she was in her 40s. Bypass surgery was performed by Dr Arun Goyal recently to treat severe blockages in three of her arteries. Courageous and smiling, Zahra shares her experience and asks all women to go for regular health checks. “I got married just eight months back and was looking forward to spending a beautiful life with my husband, but my condition presented a difficult challenge,” she said. “Going through such a major surgery was not an easy task but I am very thankful to the team of doctors who provided me the much needed support and confidence. I was feeling great within two days of the surgery and was discharged on the fifth day,” said Zahra. “My husband and my family also stood by me every step of the journey. On the doctor’s advice, I have made lifestyle changes to keep myself healthy and fit.” Although heart disease is often thought of as a problem for men, more women than men die of the disease. Around 8.6 million women die from heart disease annually, accounting for a third of all deaths in women worldwide. As much as 71 per cent of women experience early warning signs of heart attack with the sudden onset of extreme weakness which feels like the flu, often with no chest pain at all. “Heart disease or heart attack symptoms in women are so atypical that it becomes difficult to recognise,” said Director of Cardiac Services at RAK Hospital Dr Ajay Kumar Kanojia. “These are more subtle than the obvious crushing chest pain often associated with heart attacks, may be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries, but also in the smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart — a condition called small vessel heart disease or microvascular disease,” he explained. Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain which include neck, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting, sweating, lightheadedness or dizziness or unusual fatigue. “In Zahra’s case as well, she had experienced backache and shortness of breath a couple of times earlier too, which she treated with analgesics and felt better, but this time the pain was severe and she was rushed to the emergency room,” said Dr Kanojia. “Diabetes and smoking are strong predictors of heart problems in both genders, but the risk is two to four-fold in women,” he added. Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in the UAE, and cardiovascular problems account for 22 per cent of deaths in the country. Continue reading
Rare Damani gazelle gives birth in Kalba
Rare Damani gazelle gives birth in Kalba (Wam) / 28 May 2013 One of the first group of endangered Damani gazelles released in the Al Hafiya natural reserve in Kalba by His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, in May 2012 gave birth recently. The gazelles’ release marked the inauguration of the first phase of the Kalba Eco-tourism Project undertaken by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in collaboration with the Environment and Protected Areas Authority (EPAA) in Sharjah. The Kalba Eco-Tourism Project, the largest of its kind in the development in the region, is set up in Khor Kalba, 15km south of Fujairah city on the UAE-Oman borders and features natural reserves and diverse tourist and commercial facilities. Speaking on the occasion, EPAA Director-General Hana Saif Al Suwaidi stated: “The birth of the endangered Damani gazelles on April 4 and 7, followed by the birth of three more gazelles, which are known to be breeding in spring and autumn, bring the number of gazelles in the Al Hafiya protected area from 29 to 34.” Al Suwaidi noted that these births are clear evidence of the success of the project’s aims proving that the gazelles have adapted to their natural habitat and signal that the natural reserve provides the type of healthy conditions needed to preserve the species’ natural life cycle. Speaking about future plans to release more gazelles, Al Suwaidi said a specialised team from EPPA is currently tasked with monitoring the animals in accordance with a detailed plan to release and re-introduce more endangered wild animals in the protected areas in Sharjah. “We are working on the re-development of the natural reserves in Kalba (Al Hafiya and Al Qurm natural reserves in Khor Kalba), as part of the first phase of the Kalba-eco-tourism project, in order to preserve the rare biodiversity of the area and rehabilitate its fauna and flora in order to bring it back to what it was before. “These areas were once home to rare animal species that became damaged as a result of overfishing and human wrongdoing. Our plans are being implemented through a carefully studied plan to help curb the environmental degradation and rehabilitate a number of endangered animal and bird species,” she added. Marwan bin Jassim Al Sarkal, CEO of Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), commented: “The progress made in the rehabilitation of natural reserves within the Kalba eco-tourism project is an important step for the development of the project as a whole. Especially since the project’s main focus is on eco-tourism, making it dependent on the sustainable development of ecological life and conservation of animal and plant resources in the region.” Al Sarkal also lauded the role of the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in the development of this part of the project. Characterised by its small size, the endangered Damani gazelle is well adapted to the wild environment, feeding on herbs rich in dew to compensate for the scarcity of water, and travelling long distances in search of water. Once found, they drink enough in quantity. The Kalba eco-tourism project is one of the most important tourism projects in the UAE and the region and will offer visitors a unique experience in the form of an incomparable tourist destination featuring many attractions and diverse world-class facilities and amenities. Continue reading
Converting landfills into green zones
Converting landfills into green zones Staff Reporter (news@khaleejtimes.com) / 28 May 2013 Dubai Municipality’s Waste Management Department held an environmental campaign under the theme of ‘Plant for the Planet’. Spearheaded by hazardous waste treatment plant officials at their site in Jebel Ali, the objective is to convert a landfill into a green zone. Green Hope UAE, a youth environmental group, comprising students from various schools in the UAE are working with the municipality’s Waste Management Department on this initiative. Green Hope’s primary objective is to involve children and youth of the region in the drive towards sustainable development, and they have been recognised and felicitated by Dubai Municipality for being a part of their ‘Clean Up The World’ Campaign. Green Hope’s work in this regard is supported by Al Tamimi Engineering Services LLC, an electro-mechanical contracting company based in Dubai, which focuses greatly on Environmental Conservation activities. Continue reading
