Dubai-UAE: 30 September, 2015 – According to the World Heart Federation cardiovascular disease claims 17.3 million deaths annually. And in order to encourage people across the globe to make heart healthy choices and reduce cardiovascular risk, World Heart Day takes place on September 29th. A recent Dubai Health Authority (DHA) report revealed that one in five deaths in the Emirate is the result of cardiovascular disease. Further, the Head of the Cardiothoracic Surgery Department at the DHA, Dr. Obaid Al Jasim, highlighted, at an event held to mark World Heart Day in 2011, an alarming statistic that the average age that people in the UAE start experiencing heart problems is 45 which is 10 to 15 years younger than the average age in Europe.
To encourage residents of the UAE to go for regular health checks and to reduce their cardiovascular risk, Medeor 24×7 Hospital, Dubai marked World Heart Day with a series of free initiatives across the Emirate.
216 patients availed of free basic vital checks such as random blood sugar, blood pressure and body mass index at the Hospital. Following the checks, patients were then given a free consultation with the Specialist Cardiologist at the Hospital, Dr. Stanley George followed by an ECG, echo and cholesterol checks.
For those who required further investigations and did not have medical insurance cover, the Hospital offered them subsidized rates for the tests.
“Lack of awareness in the community is one of the key concerns along with lifestyle-related factors,” said Dr. Stanley George, Specialist Cardiologist at Medeor 24×7 Hospital, in Dubai. “Through offering free health checkups we hoped to encourage the residents of Dubai to seek timely action and to understand the risk factors for cardiovascular levels. High blood pressure and blood sugar levels means the person is at higher risk for contracting heart disease.
Free health check kiosks were set up at select Lulu Hypermarkets across Dubai to encourage shoppers to avail of free blood sugar, blood pressure and body mass index checks. 708 people availed of these free checks which included a consultation with a General Practitioner. Those identified as critical value patients were offered a free coupon, with the deadline extended till October 10th to consult with the Cardiologist and do an ECG and other tests. The deadline was extended due to the high volume of patients.
The Hospital will continue the free checkups at the Lulu Hypermarkets in Arabian Centre and Barsha today.
“Through these free health checks we hope to encourage residents to make their health their first priority,” said Dr. Shajir Gaffar, the CEO of VPS Healthcare for Dubai and the Northern Emirates. “The statistics for cardiovascular diseases in the UAE are alarming and our commitment is towards lowering these numbers through raising awareness to ensure a healthier population.”
