Wednesday, Feb 12, 2014
Dubai: Child abuse, described by one expert as the ‘silent epidemic’, was one of the topics covered during a workshop attended by more than 300 doctors and nurses attached to school clinics earlier this month.
The medics were told what signs they should look out for in a bid to be proactive about the phenomenon during the annual accredited healthcare workshop organised by Dubai Health Authority (DHA.)
UAE experts have warned that child abuse cases in the region are on the rise and such abuse has a long-term impact on its victims. According to the latest data available from Dubai Police’s women and child protection department last year more than 124 cases of domestic violence and child abuse were reported.
According to a 2012 study conducted by Dr Ahmad Falah Al Omosh, dean of the college of arts, humanities and social sciences, University of Sharjah of the children surveyed from seven government schools, more than 42 per cent were found to be victims of neglect at home and 25 per cent victims of violence. In November 2012 the UAE’s first child protection law was approved following the case of Wadeema, an eight-year-old girl who was starved and tortured to death in Dubai.
“This time we incorporated topics such as identification of child abuse cases, reporting such cases, the steps involved to protect the child, counselling and support as well as other medical topics,” Amal Ali Al Mehrezi, head of school health, health regulation department at the DHA, said.
Collaborative effort
Dr Azhar Abu Ali, senior clinical psychologist from the rehabilitation department of Latifa Hospital, who gave the presentation on child abuse educated the attendees on the importance of identifying, informing and following up on such cases. She also emphasised the importance of the prevention of such cases via a collaborative effort involving educating children, teachers, healthcare professionals and parents. She talked about holding preventive workshops in schools.
“It is our ethical obligation to protect the rights of the child and act against this silent epidemic,” she said.
“Children spend many hours at school on a daily basis and therefore a collaborative effort can help teachers and healthcare professionals identify such abuse. Our aim through this workshop was to educate them on the signs and symptoms to watch out for as well as the steps to follow once such abuse is identified. Once they have a definite case, the doctor concerned needs to identify, inform the right people, including the child protection team and follow up with the child to make sure such abuse stops,” Dr Abu Ali added.
By Suchitra Bajpai Chaudhary Senior Reporter
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