United Arab Emirates, Dubai, September 23, 2013: The Dubai Health Authority(DHA) held today the 2nd Community Health Nursing Conference.
The conference was inaugurated by Dr Ahmad Kalban, CEO of Primary Healthcare, in presence of senior officials including Dr Khalil Qayed, Head of Medical Education at the DHA.
Speakers from all over the UAE and the region were present to discuss the various aspects of community nursing and its pivotal role in preventative care and early detection.
Dr Kalban said, "Nurses are key in the health service delivery system and they make a significant contribution in the provision of integrated care by coordinating services related to diagnosis, treatment, care, rehabilitation and health promotion. Within the scope of primary healthcare, which is frontline healthcare, the role of nurses is extended to preventative services as well. Through this conference we aim to discuss ways to further enhance the contribution of primary healthcare nurses particularly in the areas of preventative care and early detection."
He added the DHA has 14 primary healthcare centres spread across the emirate of Dubai and that by 2025 the emirate will have a total of 40 primary healthcare centres. " In line with the Dubai Health Strategy 2013-2025, the role of primary healthcare in early detection and prevention will continue to be crucial. Keeping this in mind, we aim to further empower our primary healthcare nurses so that they can provide all aspects of community nursing to their patients."
Prof Kim Critcheley, Dean and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), University of Calgary, Qatar, discussed during her keynote address the various areas of community nursing and its importance in the health delivery system. She said: "Community nursing is not only limited to primary healthcare centres but also extends to home care and school nurses. In order to further develop this profession and ensure we at par with the latest in the field, nursing education and encouraging nurses to be part of research projects is important."
Dr Asraf Suwaidan, staff development officer, primary healthcare sector at the DHA seconded this opinion and said: " Community nurses can be part of several prevention and awareness programs for chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases etc, which can be conducted across the primary healthcare centres."
The conference discussed several topics and papers presented by nurses including the role of community nurses in healthy ageing of geriatric patients, the role and scope of school nurses, home care nursing, the role of nurses to prevent as well as educate parents about child sexual abuse and breastfeeding support that community nurses can provide for new mothers.
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About the Dubai Health Authority:
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was created, in June 2007, by Law 13 issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, with an expanded vision to include strategic oversight for the complete health sector in Dubai and enhance private sector engagement. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE Minister of Finance is the President of the Dubai Health Authority and His Excellency Engineer Essa Al Maidoor is the Director-General of the DHA.
The DHA's aim in Dubai is to provide an accessible, effective and integrated healthcare system, protect public health and improve the quality of life within the Emirate. This is a direct translation of the objectives of the Dubai Strategic Plan 2015 launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Keeping the strategic plan in mind, the DHA's mission is to ensure access to health services, maintain and improve the quality of these services, improve the health status of nationals, residents and visitors and oversee a dynamic, efficient and innovative health sector.
In addition to overseeing the health sector for the Emirate of Dubai, the DHA also focuses on providing services through DHA healthcare facilities including hospitals (Latifa, Dubai, Rashid and Hatta), specialty centres (e.g. the Dubai Diabetes Center) and DHA primary health centres spread throughout the Emirate of Dubai.
The main pillars of service delivery at DHA health facilities are quality, efficiency, patients and staff. It is our aim to maintain and improve the quality and efficiency of DHA health services. An important aspect of the service delivery strategy is to focus on patients, their needs and satisfaction as well as attract, retain, nurture and support outstanding staff.
Prior to the establishment of the DHA, the Department of Health and Medical Services (DOHMS), which was established in 1973, was the functioning authority that almost exclusively focused on health service delivery.
© Press Release 2013
