UAE: Ministry announces campaign to help residents cope with extreme heat this summer

Starting next Monday, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (Mohap) will be rolling out a Sharjah campaign to help residents cope with the summer heat, it was announced on Thursday. Teams will particularly be reaching out to those who are often exposed to the sun.

Running throughout the summer season, the campaign — which is now in its 12th edition — involves field tours to construction sites and awareness lectures.

The announcement was made during a Press conference held at the Sharjah Supreme Council for Family Affairs (SCFA) headquarters.

This awareness drive seeks to promote proper behaviours; enhance the public's understanding of risks associated with heat exhaustion; and emphasise the importance of maintaining a safe work environment.

A medical team will also be deployed to provide assistance and supplies to the targeted groups at their workplaces. Residents will learn more about heat stress, preventive measures, and first aid procedures.

Participants will also receive awareness booklets in Arabic, English, and Urdu, as well as personal hygiene kits, fire prevention supplies, and access to medical examinations, such as blood pressure and blood sugar level checks and oral and dental health detection tests.

Anybody can join the campaign by registering on the website of Sharjah Government, Mohammed Al Zarouni, director of Mohap's representative office in the emirate, told Khaleej Times.

“This year, we will be launching the 12th annual heat exhaustion prevention campaign in collaboration with various governmental, private, and charitable organisations to safeguard community health and safety by increasing health awareness across all sectors, particularly among those whose work involves prolonged exposure to sunlight and educating them on the risks of heat exhaustion,” Al Zarouni said.

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Iman Rashid Saif, director of the Health Promotion Department, said: “We take immense pride in being part of the UAE, a nation that values human beings as its most precious asset, placing the health and safety of society at the forefront of its development priorities."

The event, a joint effort by the ministry's representative office in the emirate and the SCFA’s Health Promotion Department, included participants from various public and private bodies in Sharjah.

These include the Sharjah Police, Sharjah Public Health Centre, as well as the Sharjah Municipality, Sharjah's Municipalities, Sharjah Charity International, Sharjah Cooperative Society, Sharjah Broadcasting Authority (SBA), Sharjah Prevention and Safety Authority, Fast Building Contractors, Souq Al Jubail, Zulal Water Factory, and the Emirates Red Crescent Authority.

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