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Medicines go cheaper from today
Medicines go cheaper from today Asma Ali Zain / 6 June 2013 More than 6,600 drugs to treat chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension will be up to 40 per cent cheaper from today — taking the country’s pharmaceuticals from one of the most expensive in the region to one of the cheapest. The UAE Ministry of Health said on Wednesday that prices of 6,632 medicines would be cut from between 1 and 40 per cent. The move would benefit needy patients the most, especially diabetes, hypertension and heart patients, numbers of which were high in the country, officials said. A boost for patients A diabetes patient who now pays between Dh250-300 a month on medicines can save up to Dh40 per month — or nearly Dh500 per year, according to industry experts. “This difference is quite beneficial in the long term,” said Dubai’s Zulekha Hospital Director of Operations Dr Kishan Pakkal. “People used to say that you cannot afford to fall sick here, now with lower medicine prices, choices will be greater,” he added. Experts also said that the price difference would particularly affect Asians who prefer to buy cheaper drugs from their home countries. The lower prices, in turn, will boost local consumption and benefit manufacturers indirectly. According to a statement issued by Frost & Sullivan in February, the move will also be beneficial for the local pharmaceutical drug manufacturing industry as there will be generic options available for both chronic and acute diseases. “However, the real beneficiary will be the patients — both local citizens as well as the expats,” said Dr Ajay Kumar Sharma, Associate Director, Pharma and Life Sciences Practice, Frost & Sullivan. “This price reduction will promote Asian expats to purchase medicines locally rather than buying it from their home country as there will be marginal price difference. Additionally, this will boost the local consumption and (offset) the price decrease by increased volumes for the manufacturers,” he added. However, individual pharmacies, local agents and mostly international drug companies will get a fair share too. A new price list for drugs has been issued by the ministry which has also put in place a new inspection and control procedure system. The new pricing system that was approved by UAE’s federal Cabinet in February this year has made medicines in the UAE the most affordable in the region, said ministry Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licensing, Dr Amin Al Amiri. Price adjustments have been done by pegging the import price to the US dollar and unifying it across the GCC. A total of 7,053 medicines are currently registered with the ministry. Dr Amiri said the system would encourage investment in the pharmaceutical sector in the country. “A study done in five GCC countries showed that medicine prices were the highest in the UAE…with the new prices, 60 per cent of the medicines in the country will now be cheaper than elsewhere in the region,” he said. At least 319 medicines available for hypertension and heart diseases will be available for up to 41 per cent less. Likewise, a cut of between 1 and 47 per cent will apply to 156 diabetes drugs, Dr Amiri said. A 15 per cent profit has been fixed for private pharmacies by cutting customs insurance freight (CIF) charges. Since 2010, pharmacies have been earning only six per cent profit. Dr Amiri also said that the system will support small private pharmacies, prevent smuggling of drugs among GCC countries, discourage people from bringing medicines from abroad and reduce citizens’ complaints about the high prices of medicines. Dr Yacoub Haddad, who represents Phrmag (Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association Gulf) said that the most important thing was that patients would be able to afford latest medicines at reasonable prices. “This has been made possible through (pegging the price of medicines to the US dollar),” said Dr Haddad, adding that Phrmag had been in talks with the ministry for 18 months before a suitable system was worked out. – asmaalizain@khaljeetimes.com Express medical fitness centre in Karama A new medical fitness centre that can accommodate over 2,000 people per day has opened in Al Karama. The centre, which will be operational from June 9, provides express medical fitness services and is spread over an area of 20,000 square feet featuring a VIP lounge, a kids play area, two coffee shops, a reading area and is equipped with state-of-the-art medical facilities. “The centre provides express medical services which include three options that customers can choose from; within 4 hours, 24 hours or 48 hours. The centre is located in the heart of Karama and will be convenient for the people living in the vicinity,” said Maisa Al Bustani, director of medical fitness at Dubai Health Authority. The centre is located near the Emirates Post office in Karama and will be open from 7.30am to 9.30pm Sunday to Thursday. The Al Satwa Medical Fitness Centre, which had a capacity of accommodating 700 clients per day and also offered express services exclusively catering to female clients, has been closed temporarily for renovation. “We will expand the centre and are carrying out some renovations as it is one of the oldest medical fitness centres in the emirate. In the meantime, clients can use the Karama medical fitness centre, which is three times the capacity of the Al Satwa centre and it also provides express services.” Al Bustani added that female clients can go to the Rashidiya medical fitness centre that caters exclusively to ladies with complete female staff or they can choose any of the other medical fitness centres in their vicinity. Continue reading
Up the oven they go, to sleep in a deck
Up the oven they go, to sleep in a deck Staff Reporter / 6 June 2013 Some bakery workers in the Capital have to climb through an oven to get into a cramped, dusty and smelly ‘deck’ where they live, a recent inspection of their accommodation has revealed. The Municipality of Abu Dhabi City launched an intensified inspection of workers’ accommodation units provided by their employers, during which it was discovered that many live in cramped and unhygienic conditions, which often double up as storerooms. In one of the cases, inspectors found a smelly, dusty overhead deck in one of the bakeries, which was used as lodging and sleeping place for the bakery workers with very poor living conditions. “Workers gain access to the upper deck of the bakery by climbing up the oven of the bakery in order to conceal the place from inspectors. It also contains casual extensions of electricity and sewage, and lacks health factors such as sunlight and air-circulation,” said Municipality public health director, Khalifa Mohammed Al Rumaithi. These places, he added, “lack the least principles of public health” and were mostly over-crowded with workers living next to gas cylinders or in rooms that doubled as storerooms. “The Municipality acts with these contraventions according to the provisions of the law. Offenders are offered one week’s time to redress their conditions and remove additions and causes of offences in order to avoid legal questioning, and issuing of offence tickets to them, but judicial transgressions will be enforced against repeaters,” Al Rumaithi said. He called upon business owners to use suitable premises for accommodation and refrain from using work facilities for accommodation and stressed the importance of removing them. The official advised these establishments to ensure the provision of a healthy accommodation for workers and compliance with the occupational health and safety stipulations in order to maintain the health of workers, avoid subjecting them to accidents and injuries, provide suitable health and living conditions, and address the public health requirements at those facilities. He reiterated the commitment of the Municipality of Abu Dhabi City to continuously ensure the compliance of business and occupational outlets and warehouses to provide suitable accommodation to workers and avoid using overhead deck for accommodation and storage purposes. Al Rumaithi added the Municipality would continue its inspection campaigns to combat all sorts of unlawful additions and structures made in installations at villas, flats, buildings and residential and commercial outlets in order to ensure the highest standards of living and sustainable environment for the residents of Abu Dhabi city. He called for strict compliance with the standards of public health, and the applicable laws in order to ensure a decent living for all community members. Workers were a key community segment that had made a considerable contribution to the comprehensive development in Abu Dhabi, he said. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
Dubai honours young scientists
Dubai honours young scientists Amira Agarib / 6 June 2013 The first Arab woman to be crowned genius of the year has been honoured at a ceremony, which also recognised young Emirati scientists. Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed honours Dr Manahel Thabet as Humaid Mohammed Al Qattami looks on during the Emirates Young Scientist Award ceremony in Dubai on Tuesday. — Wam Dubai-based Yemeni economist Dr Manahel Thabet, who won The World Genius Directory 2013 Genius of the Year Award in January, was lauded as a fitting example of what the youngsters should aspire to be. She is the youngest person in the world to earn a PhD in finance engineering, with the honour magna cum laude. Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, presented awards to the winners of Emirates Young Scientist Award in its fourth session in a ceremony on Tuesday, in the presence of Lieutenant-General Dhahi Khalfan Tamim, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police and Chairman of the UAE Talent Association; Humaid Mohammed Obaid Al Qattami, Minister of Education; Dr Ahmed Eid Al Mansoui, Director of the Dubai Education Zone; businessman Mohammed Omer Haider and senior officials . Shaikh Majid praised the efforts exerted by civil society and the UAE Talent Association in building new generation, supporting educational institutions in the UAE and providing encouraging environment for innovation. Dhahi Khalfan lauded the unlimited support of UAE leaders led by the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the patronage of Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed and the special care he shows in promoting the educational standard of UAE nationals. He also congratulated winners of the award in various categories. Dhahi Khalfan added that Arab and Muslim scholars in the past were known for being pioneers in the fields of science and mathematics. He said that Emirates Award for Young Scientists aims at giving opportunities to talented youth and enhancing their scientific capabilities in addition to spreading the culture of applied science and establishing database of talented young students. At the end of the ceremony, Shaikh Majid, Dhahi Khalfan and Humaid Mohammed Al Qattami honoured the students and officials. Humaid Mohammed Al Qattami and Mohammed Omer Haider were also recognised for supporting the award for the past four years. news@khaleejtimes.com Continue reading
