DHA launches Happiness Prescription Programme
dubai — As part of the UAE Innovation Week, the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has launched a new programme that will prescribe medication and nutritional and physical programmes for pre-diabetics.
The Happiness Prescribing programme is designed to identify and implement prevention programmes among people with high risk factors of diabetes. The programme targets residents who follow unhealthy diets, have a family history of diabetes and those who suffer from psychological stress and smokers.
The Ministry of Health and Prevention estimates that 500,000 UAE nationals are at risk of diabetes and the Dubai Household Survey 2014 found that 36 per cent of Dubai population
36% of Dubai population are at a pre-obesity stage or overweight
sample are at a pre-obesity stage (or overweight) while 11.9 per cent of total sample suffered from obesity. Dr Hanan Obaid, consultant family physician and head of the acute and chronic diseases, said the programme will provide a communitybased healthcare model, which adopts a new style for prevention of diabetes that extends beyond drug prescription. “It will include a comprehensive behavioural, social and psychological care,” she said.
Participants will be chosen based on an evaluation by primary care physicians to determine the possibility of exposure to diabetes during the next 10 years.
During Innovation Week, the DHA also showcased the ‘Healthy Living’ projects, which aims to encourage the public to burn calories while sitting in public places by having mobile pedals.
Other initiatives included ‘Nawm Sehy’ machine, which monitors sleep; ‘Qalby’, a small wireless device that can monitor heartbeat; ‘Tummy Fish’ App that encourages children to remember to drink water; and many more.