10 June 2008

Abu Dhabi: The UAE government has taken another proactive step towards protecting the environment by kicking off a project to develop a national strategy for environmental health over the next three years.

The Environmental Agency - Abu Dhabi (EAD) will formulate the strategy in collaboration with a team of experts from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC), in the United States, supported by a network of government bodies including Health Authority - Abu Dhabi UAE, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Water, Abu Dhabi Food Control Authority and Health Authority - Dubai with technical support from World Health Organisation (WHO).

Costing over Dh25 million, the project is being funded by the Abu Dhabi government.

Spread over three phases, the project will identify health threats caused by environmental factors in the UAE, estimate the burden of disease caused by these factors, identify mitigation strategies, and strengthen the capacity of the government in this arena. And thus it aims at minimising the environmental health gap due to lack of critical knowledge.

Stressing the need for mitigation strategies, Majid Al Mansouri, the EAD Secretary General, said, "We are facing serious issues..Emissions of pollutants to the outdoor air are clogging our lungs. Waste discharges are polluting our coastal waters. Hazardous wastes and agricultural chemicals are destroying our groundwater..."

Barbara Rimer, Dean at the UNC said that air pollution will be one of the main concerns.

By Rayeesa Absal

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