The UAE is ready to be declared free from polio myelitis, having had no cases reported for nine years, said the health ministry on Wednesday.
But the ministry has urged residents to report any suspected cases to the authorities to enable the UAE to be declared polio-free by the World Health Organization (WHO), according to the Gulf News.
Mahmoud Fikri, undersecretary for preventive medicine affairs, on Sunday met representatives of the health districts including Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western Region, as well as all hospital department heads.
The aim of the meeting was to ensure that the country still meets WHO criteria to be declared free from polio. Fikri urged all doctors to report suspected polio myelitis cases. Stool samples should be sent for laboratory analysis and the necessary precautions taken, said the paper.
"I would like to state that the UAE has been free of polio cases for nine years and all UAE children are highly immune to the disease and are in good health," he said.
In order to ensure that the country is free from polio, every suspicious hospital case should remain under observation for two weeks.
"There should be an emergency plan ready just in case. There should be weekly reporting to the WHO on the situation," Fikri said.
"Preventive medicine departments should organize regular visits to hospitals which have children's wards. In case of doubt, samples should be taken immediately. All newborn children should be vaccinated."
The UAE is also ready to be declared free from malaria.
"A committee from WHO is expected to visit the UAE to evaluate the anti-malaria programs, he added.
The UAE will be officially declared free from malaria on World Health Day 2002, he said – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
