Combating coronavirus: Abu Dhabi launches phase 2 of campaign for senior residents

Abu Dhabi - DoH, ADPHC launch phase 2 of 'Towards a Healthy and Safe Society' initiative targeting senior people.

As part of its efforts to improve the health level of residents in Abu Dhabi and minimise the spread of the Covid-19, the Department of Health and Abu Dhabi Public Health Center launched on Friday, Phase 2 of the 'Towards a Healthy and Safe Society" Initiative.
The drive will which focus on the campaign of 'Educating Senior Citizens and Residents' in various regions of the emirate.
This initiative sees the cooperation of the Crown Prince Office, Abu Dhabi Councils, Martyrs' Families Affairs Office, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), Ministry of Education, Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, Community Development Department, Authority of Social Contribution (Ma'an), Family Development Foundation, and Abu Dhabi Media, which embodies the principle of partnership and social responsibility championed by the various State institutions.
Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Hamed, Chairman of Department of Health Abu Dhabi said: "Our leadership has always placed senior citizens' health and safety as a priority. Ever since the beginning of the pandemic, senior citizens have been given special attention and many efforts have been made to roll out a series of initiatives that caters to their needs.
In its second phase, the initiative aims at focusing more on senior citizens and residents, who are considered the most vulnerable to complications related to Covid-19. It also focuses on population groups living outside the main cities of Abu Dhabi, especially in remote areas not reached by health awareness messages through traditional means. It also includes, as part of its awareness-raising and procedural activities, coordination of Covid-19 tests needed for senior citizens in a number of centers designated for that purpose.
Online awareness
To communicate its educational messages aimed at raising the level of health awareness and strengthening preventive and remedial measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the campaign uses many media channels such as TV and radio, newspapers, social media, SMS, voice messages, WhatsApp messages, and the display screens on ADNOC stations, with a focus on the means usually used by the targeted groups, which ADPHC will identify through a public questionnaire prepared in cooperation with a group of strategic partners.
The campaign also covers many field activities such as home visits by field medical teams and health awareness-raising messages that public health ambassadors and volunteers will spread in the community, the content of which aims at educating senior citizens about coronavirus-related preventive measures.
Phase 2 of the initiative will last for three months, which can be extended or modified according to the needs and results of the targeted response, starting from June and ending on August.
A questionnaire will then be conducted through various appropriate means in order to identify the extent of increasing health awareness in the community, the number of participants in awareness-raising activities, health education during the campaign, and the amount of materials published, in addition to identifying the percentage of community members' satisfaction with the Campaign and the percentage of general achievement realised.
This initiative is meant to achieve advanced levels in combating the pandemic and enabling the residents of the Emirate to return to their normal lives.

• Abu Dhabi