National Health Survey Results Announced

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 25th Mar, 2019) The National health survey has indicated that prevalence of diabetes among adults over the age of 18 and those who suffer from high blood glucose dropped to 11.8 percent, down from 18.9 percent in 2010.

Similarly, the overall satisfaction in the UAE healthcare service delivery has been as high as 96 percent. However, this aspect was covered by the 2010 survey. Likewise, the proportion of 18-year-olds and above suffering from obesity has gone down to 27.8 percent compared to 37.2 percent in 2010.

The Ministry of Health and Prevention, MoHAP, announced the official results of the survey approved by the World Health Organisation, WHO, today during a press conference. The indicators comprised the diet, physical activity, and screening of cervical cancer, physical measurements, diabetes, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, and tobacco.

The proportion of babies (0-5 months) who were exclusively breastfed was as high as 59.7 percent up from 34 percent in 2010, which reflects the effectiveness of related awareness campaigns.

According to the survey, the proportion of adults over the age of 18 suffering from high cholesterol levels fell to 43.7 percent, from 57.6 percent in 2010. Doctors usually use the total cholesterol of the patient to determine the risk of having heart disease and how to manage it perfectly.

The percentage of smokers over the age of 18 has gone as low as 9.1 percent down from 11.1 percent in 2010. The significant decrease is attributed to activating Tobacco Control laws and regulations, strengthening smoking cessation services Health awareness campaigns, Federal Law No.15 of 2009 regarding Tobacco Control Public health draft law, increasing the number of smoking cessation clinics and levying an Excise tax on tobacco products among other initiatives.

As the results clearly show, the proportion of 18-year-old adults and above suffering from obesity has gone down to 27.8 percent from 37.2 percent in 2010. This is an excellent improvement made possible by government actions, which included launching health awareness campaigns, early intervention programmes for children and adults with weight loss challenges, public health draft law, interactive map for physical-activity-promoting venues, and the ‘Etminan’ initiative, a periodic examination programme measuring body mass and the referring of overweight or obese people to nutrition clinics or weight care centres.

The total number of adults over the age of 18 years who suffer from hypertension or have reported taking hypertension medication declined to 14.7 percent from 28.8 percent in 2010.

In this context, Abdulrahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, stated that the survey outcomes have significant indications and outputs, which support the country’s ambitions, as well as the directions of the wise government within the framework of the sustainable strategy of various essential sectors, including the health sector to provide health, well-being and happiness for the population.

The health survey was based on a standard questionnaire that includes vital indicators that are relevant to the health of the society, such as individuals’ health behaviours, their food habits and risk factors, indicators of healthcare services utilisation, health expenditure, and vital signs such as diabetes, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Mohamed Salim Al Olama, Under-Secretary of MoHAP, shed light on the outcomes of this survey in developing, enhancing and uniting health approaches and strategies. He also highlighted the ministry’s efforts to develop quality and safety for therapeutic, healthcare and pharmaceutical systems according to international standards, as per the statistical facts and smart analytics tools for decision-making and enactment of appropriate health policies, as pursuant to the ministry’s strategy 2017 – 2021.

Dr. Hussein Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary for Health Centres and Clinics at MoHAP, lauded the efficiency and efforts exerted by the Supreme Committee for the National Health Survey and the supporting committees. He also thanked all who have contributed to the success of this survey, including the government and private authorities, and the families.

During the briefing, Al Rand unveiled the survey’s objectives, mechanism and criteria, in addition to its official detailed results, their impact on the Sustainable Development Goals, comparing 2017-2018 survey results to 2010 results and outlining plans and strategies to be adopted by the ministry to improve health outcomes.

Alya Zaid Harbi, Director of MoHAP’s Statistics and Research Centre, stated that the national health survey kicked off in October 2017, under the theme "My Health is a Priority". Ten thousand families including both, residents and locals, took part in the survey with a high response rate of 94 percent.