Abu Dhabi – UAE: 23 July, 2015:Lifecare Hospital, well-known in the community for its quality healthcare services and charitable initiative such as the ‘Step Up’ campaign to quit smoking and Diabetic Club, treated underprivileged workers on a complementary basis all through the holy month of Ramadan.

The Campaign encompassed treatment of one patient a day, whether it was to provide treatment for a fever or a surgery; it was all covered by the Hospital. This Campaign was initiated to encourage workers to seek medical care as and when required as certain conditions such as gastroenteritis, dehydration and improper diabetic control that affect the stomach, blood sugar level, and overall well-being of these workers become increasingly common whilst fasting without proper nutrients during the hotter months. These conditions if not addressed on time can give rise to further complications.

“Commenting on the Campaign, Dr Yasmine Maher – Medical director/Head of radiology department, Lifecare Hospital, Baniyas said: “Ramadan is the time of giving and in that spirit we felt privileged to contribute to the society and give back by helping the labourers/workers in need of medical care, for something minor or something major like a surgery. On behalf of the hospital, we mobilized this initiative to provide awareness on fasting and its benefits when observed in the right way, as we wish for these people to have a happy and healthy Ramadan.”

The Hospital also introduced and widely distributed a Ramadan health guide in 4 different languages as part of this initiative. The guide was aimed at helping labour workers understand the health issues associated with fasting so that they have adequate knowledge to make informed choices, minimize complications, and maximize the benefit of their fast.

Dr. Arun Menon – Director of Operations, Lifecare Hospital, Baniyas, said: “It is an important part of our mandate to continuously look for ways to provide healthcare provisions that create a real and direct impact for the less privileged in our society. We believe that healthcare is a natural right for everyone and these workers should not be void of that.

“As a hospital, we are honored to be taking part in initiatives that improve the quality of life for those underprivileged amongst us,” added Dr. Menon.