Premarital tests for all UAE

The Health Ministry has ordered launch of premarital tests programme for all nationals and expatriates in the UAE, to meet health strategy as per Cabinet decision to implement premarital test regulations.

The medical exam and consultation programme will be provided through primary health care centres in Dubai, Sharjah, RAK, UAQ and Ajman at four stages in different areas.

MoH opens registration for licenses

South Asians outnumbered all others to turn out at the UAE Ministry of Health who started to receive on Sunday applications for licenses for practicing midwifery and nursing in the country.
On the first day of registration, more than 200 applications were submitted to the licensing department, according to Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry Dr. Abdul Ghaffar Abdul Ghafoor.

The registration will continue until the end of this month.
The written examination has been scheduled for November 5th and will be held at the Nursing Institute in Sharjah. Source

Marrying close relatives not necessarily risky- Doctors

Marrying close relatives within the limits of religious sanctions may not necessarily pose health risks for offspring, according to 130 doctors who attended here a workshop on 'pre-marital health check'. The workshop jointly organized by Ministry of Health and Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services targeted doctors from maternity and paediatric hospitals and preventive medicine in an effort to familiarize them with the 'pre-marital health check' programme being implemented by Ministry of Health as part of its strategy to bring about healthy families. Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health and Primary Health-care Dr. Maryam Matar said that the Ministry is moving ahead with a clear vision and plan in this regard. "We give emphasize to the need for enhancing professional capability of doctors in diagnosis as it can create good results in pre-marital health checks for prospective brides and grooms and avoid the chances contagious diseases.", she said. The pre-marital health checks can identify the chances of occurring genetically transmitted diseases like Talassimia which is found in the region and mainly attributed to marriages between close relatives. The workshop stressed that marriage between close relatives is not necessarily a reason for genetically transmitted diseases the chances of which can be determined prior to marriage through diagnostic techniques.The doctors also underlined the importance of prospective brides consuming folic acid as a way to minimize the chances of several diseases affecting nervous system. It is better to avoid the chances of giving birth to malformed babies through preventive measures, the workshop concluded. Source

The Phyto Shape contains sibutramine and it is officially withdrawn from the UAE market

Today morning Dr. Khadija from the Pharmaceutical Department of the Ministry of Health in Dubai confirmed over a phone conversation that the Phyto Shape is officially withdrawn from the local market as it is not herbal supplement as claimed previously. It has been found that the Phyto Shape contains sibutramine hydrochloride monohydrate that is the primary component of the Reductil.
The article published by Khaleej Times on 24th of April provided the official information released by the Ministry of Health.

So Dear Readers, all our previous debates about the Phyto Shape were only debates and if you chose to consider it or not - it's only your decision, but not out recommendation! Our aim is to provide you with information.

MoH organizes Cancer Awareness Seminar

Over 100 doctors from the Ministry of Health (MoH) attended a Continuous Medical Education Seminar (CME) held under the patronage Dr. Mariam Matar, Assistant Undersecretary of Preventive Medicine in the Ministry of Health (MoH) for Public Health and Primary Health Care (PHC). The aim of the session titled "Screening for Female Health" took place this morning at Al Baraha Hospital to raise awareness of prevention and early detection of breast and cervical cancer - the two most common forms of cancer to affect women worldwide.

"The CME sessions conducted are crucial for updating the skills of the Primary Health Care (PHC) doctors," says Dr. Mariam Matar, Assistant Undersecretary of Ministry of Health (MoH) "The Public Health and PHC sector is developing central CME programs which include lectures, workshop and research training. This program will enhance and improve the quality of PHC services across the UAE" "This activity comes as part of the Ministry of Healths' ongoing efforts to update Primary Health Physicians on the latest oncological advances," says Dr. Muna Al Kawari, Project Director for Women's Health in Public and Primary Health Care, Ministry of Health. "Breast and cervical cancer are the leading causes of death in women around the world. Through these sessions, our doctors will encourage women in the UAE to implement regular screenings to prevent and detect cancer before it's too late."

Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women worldwide. As many as eight to nine percent of women will develop breast cancer at some point during their lifetime and more than 1.2 million women will develop it this year. As with most diseases, fear and lack of knowledge are major contributors to delayed detection of breast cancer. "The fact is that although breast cancer may be life threatening, research has shown that early detection significantly increases the chances of survival," explained Dr. Mona Sabelgi, Screening Coordinator, Central Ministry of Health Department, Abu Dhabi. "I urge all women over the age of forty in the UAE to have a mammography test."

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer and cause of death in women worldwide. In the UAE it is on the rise with reported cases tripling in 2005. Worldwide there are an estimated 650 deaths, which is the equivalent of 10 women in the Middle East dying every day."Cervical cancer is caused by a virus called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). This virus is very common and easily transmitted, but thankfully not all females infected with HPV will have cervical cancer," says Dr.Saad Aswad, Consultant Gynaecologist Oncologist in Tawam Hospital, and Associate Professor of Gynaecology, at the UAE University. "The virus once contracted, can survive for years and eventually converts some cells on the surface of the cervix into cancer cells. By killing the virus you eliminate the chance of contracting cervical cancer. Prevention of infection is imperative for all women, this can be done in two ways, regular pap screening tests and being vaccinated against it." These seminars on early detection and prevention of cancer highlight the Ministry of Health's commitment to encouraging women in the UAE to having regular screenings. Source

For more on the Breast Cancer please check: New Drug approved for Advanced Breast Cancer.

The Phytoshape again!

For few months already many have discussed the Phyto Shape, including many friends and people we know.
Many ladies commented that the Phyto Shape helps to loose weight and in fact many did loose weight - 4 to 5 kg monthly. If the news has been purposely spread to bust the sales of the Phyto Shape or the products proves results, it is hard to establish.

The price at the pharmacies was AED 265 until yesterday. It is not sure if the product is available today or already all the stocks were withdrawn from the market.
A little bit is written on the Internet about it and few sites discuss the ingredients along with the site effects of the Phyto Shape. Maybe they are promotional, maybe not.
From what is written on the Internet we all have been led to think that the Phyto Shape is the next slimming miracle and will make many slimmer and more attractive. We found some sites that are recommending the Phyto Shape as a Fruit Extract and natural product. The Ministry of Health in UAE found otherwise.

Yesterday, 24th of April, in one of the daily newspaper Khallej Times was published the following:

"Herbal drug to be withdrawn

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has decided to withdraw a slimming food supplement from the local market, for containing chemical substances that are harmful to human health.
“Phyto Shape capsules, which are marketed as a herbal product for losing weight, will be withdrawn from the market to avert serious health risks that might result from taking the capsules,” said Humaid Mohammed Al Shamsi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Pharmacy and Supplies. "

MoH to regulate sale of herbal products

The Ministry of Health along with the General Secretariat of Municipalities will soon start monitoring the sale of food supplements that claim to have medicinal properties in order to regulate the flow of herbal and natural products into the market.
Law No 20 of 1995 for Health and Natural products does not allow any such product to be sold until it is approved by the MoH.
There are over 100 such herbal products registered with the MoH . More than 2,000 products such as food supplements and cosmetic products are included in the General Sale List (GSL).
It was hard to determine the category of certain products because slight differences in ingredients that can alter the categories under which such products fall. “For instance, if there is an increase in the concentration of some ingredients, certain products can fall under the category of medicines.
The municipalities played an important role in monitoring products that had been categorised as food supplements. The MoH can only check if shops are selling products that are allowed to be sold as well as carry out tests to check their ingredients, dosage, labels, etc.
Regarding awareness campaigns, the MoH would soon publish booklets in English and Arabic, that will carry information on various types of herbal and natural products and explain the dos and don’ts.

Phytoshape

Important: Before you read the following, I would like to inform you that on 24th April 2007, UAE's daily publication Khaleej News published that the Ministry of Health decided to withdraw the Phytoshape from the local market! The press release was confirmed over the phone by Dr. Khadija from the Pharmaceutical Department of the Ministry of Health in Dubai.

Dubai's female population is currently overexcited with the lattes slimming miracle, called Phytoshape.

Pharmacies are running out of stock in no time. The pharmacist's wives are getting new figures faster than you can imagine.

What is Phytoshape? How it works? Is it safe? Where we can get it?

These are the common questions every one should ask while considering buying and using any kind of medicines or supplements.

As I found out, the Phytoshape active ingredient is a pure natural fruit extract. It contains hydroxycitric acid. This molecule compete with with citric acid of our body & inhibit the storage of diet as fat. It converts excess food to glycogen. Our body can not store more than half Kg. of glycogen, simply because stored glycogen will give a signal of satiety to the brain with suppression of appetite. As Phyto Shape is thermogenic, it burns fat. It directs flow of blood away from stomach area . This results in appetite suppression. So, simply said: you don't feel hungry.

It is reported most people loose a minimum of 4 kg per month, but some more.

Phyto Shape capsules are contraindicated during pregnancy & lactation. Of course they should be out of the reach of children.

All together, it sounds as harmless herbal supplement that helps to loose weight by suppressing the appetite.

What do you say?

Ministry of Health declares ‘No CME hours, no medical licence’

Healthcare professionals wishing to practice in the UAE will now have to notch up a minimum number of Continuing Medical Education (CME) hours each year, following a UAE government mandate declaring CME hours compulsory for licence renewal.

In a bid to bring the country closer to internationally recognised healthcare standards, enforcement of CME will also shift from employers to the government, who will require proof of a set number of accredited hours before renewing each licence. Under the new system, which is effective from January 2007, medical professionals in both the private and public sector will be accountable for their ongoing educational development.

Similar systems are currently operating in the US, the UK and more recently, Saudi Arabia.
Read the full story here.