School bus drivers undergo medical tests in Abu Dhabi

 As many as 6,000 school bus drivers have undergone occupational medical tests since February 2015 in the national capital, according to a report.

Fatima Tamim, director of Al Madina Occupational Health Centre, said the tests are designed for the safety of students and to ensure that the school bus drivers are medically fit.
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According to a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between the Department of Transport (DoT) in Abu Dhabi and Ambulatory Healthcare Services (Seha) in 2014, clinics like Al Madina Occupational Health Centre in Abu Dhabi and the Disease Prevention and Screening Centre in Al Ain were selected to conduct the medical tests and issue a report highlighting if they are fit for the job or not.
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Drivers working on school bus fleets are now able to apply for operational medical tests at the above-mentioned clinics on the DoT's website. Once the applicants pass all the required tests, a medical certificate addressed to Driver and Vehicle Licensing, Abu Dhabi Police, will be issued, allowing applicants to complete the needed documents to have their school bus driver licences issued.
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The tests include vision check-up (visual acuity and colour vision), complete blood count, Hepatitis B surface antigen, fasting glucose, glycated haemoglobin, renal function test, audiometry and electrocardiogram.
The tests will ensure whether an applicant is free from heart diseases, diabetes, blood pressure, epilepsy, neurological and psychological disorders, kidney or liver diseases and leprosy.
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Said Ali Mekki, head of the school transport section in Abu Dhabi, who is also head of the public-private sectors partnership in the department of municipality affairs and transport, said: "The MoU came as fruitful cooperation between the Seha and DoT confirming their keenness in providing all available potentials for the safety of the students."
Dr Tobasi, consultant of internal diseases and director of the occupational health services at Seha, said: "We offer full-fledged services which are not confined to our services when we perform occupation health checkups, but we rather follow up the cases which deem so and transfer them to the specialists."
reporters@khaleejtimes.com