United Arab Emirates, Dubai, December 24, 2013: In line with the instructions of  His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Dubai Executive Council, to take immediate measures to make institutions disabled-friendly, the DHA recently started a special training in sign language for their staff.

In addition to customer relation assistants( CRAs), the training programme was also organized for the Authority's top management.

HE Eng. Essa Al Maidoor, Director-General of the DHA was part of the committee that attended the sign language workshop. He said: " This is an important initiative particularly  for the Authority's frontline staff to understand the language of people with impaired hearing, especially in times of a medical emergency. Having said that, I believe the management should also understand sign-language so that they can take important decisions on how to further integrate  differently-abled people in the health sector."

Shaikha Ahmed Al Rahoomi, Director of Customer Relations at the DHA: "A rigorous training program was conducted by certified sign language trainers and 42 CRAs from the DHA were trained in sign-language.  In addition, the top management of the DHA also underwent this training. The training program was especially tailor-made to teach a specific sign language module that includes medical terminology so that the  health care needs of differently-abled patients can be understood immediately."

Al Rahoomi said in the second phase, training will be provided to several doctors, nurses and paramedics so that each department or field of specialty has at least one or two members who are well-versed with sign language.

She said trained hospital personnel will be in a position ask patients about their illness or the symptoms they have been experiencing

HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid earlier announced his vision of making the whole of Dubai a disabled-friendly city, Sheikh Hamdan said Dubai is keen on creating the best environment that is supportive to disabled people "because they are an integral part of the fabric of society."

He directed all government departments, institutions and bodies in Dubai to take the immediate measures that would lead to concrete and tangible steps to support previous and present positive efforts in Dubai and he directed all government bodies to augment  new initiatives in this regard.

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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