Dr Mohammed Abdullah Saeed, Director Fujairah Medical Zone

Dr Mohammed Abdullah Saeed, FMZ Director Fujairah Medical Zone working to meet the needs of the emirate  

 

The Fujairah Medical Zone (FMZ) oversees the health and medical sector in the emirate embodied in three major hospitals, a number of primary health care centres, specialized treatment centres such as for Thalassemia, as well as numerous medical and dental clinics spread all over the emirate. 

 

The provision of medical and health care is one of the most important elements of human and society development, and FMZ faces this role amid various challenges and is working to overcome them in coordination with the Ministry of Health.

 

In this interview, Dr Mohammed Abdullah Saeed, FMZ Director talked in all frankness and transparency highlighting many aspects, including the obstacles and challenges facing his administration?

 

Q: What are the main new projects from Fujairah Medical Zone?

 

Dr Saeed: There are a number of projects that were completed recently and those that are due to be completed soon. The Thalassemia centre was opened at Fujairah Hospital last October, which is the first and only one of its kind at the level of the Ministry of Health and serves 54 patients, at a working capacity of 29 beds. The Cardiac Centre was also opened recently, and more than 25 catheterization operations were already carried out since last July. A dialysis centre will also open this year thanks to a charitable donation of Al Futtaim Charitable Foundation, and it will include 18 dialysis devices along with 3 doctors and 22 technical staff.

 

Regarding primary health care, a number of centres will open soon in Al-Khlaibyah, Al-Raheeb and Al-Akamih as the Ministry of Public Works was committed to build them according to the latest international standards set for primary health care centres. 

 

Q: What is the latest on Masafi Hospital?

 

Dr Saeed: The hospital is already operational and the official opening is anticipated sometime in May or June of this year. The hospital has already provided medical services to more than 750 patients since its initial operation, last July.

 

Q: There has been complaints regarding deficiencies in hospitals and health centres?

 

Dr Saeed: Given the shortfall in technical staff, FMZ has allocated 206 new positions to plug those needs. 93 of these new positions have been allocated to Fujairah Hospital, 113 to Dibba Hospital. Recruitment procedures have already begun to fill those gaps by the end of this year to provide a premium service, and our biggest challenge has always been to cover the deficiencies in the technical and administrative staff because the human element is the basis for the health sector.

 

Q: What is the reality of Emiratisation in FMZ and what plans are there for its implantation?

 

Dr Saeed: Emiratis hold 90% of administrative jobs at FMZ as well as a making up a high percentage of technical staff in laboratory and radiology centres, pharmacies, nutrition, dental centres, as well as an increase in Emiratis in nursing jobs with the increase in the number of nursing schools and their graduates. 

 

Q: What are the current- and planned- treatment services and facilities provided by hospitals in the Emirate of Fujairah?

 

Dr Saeed: The emirate of Fujairah has three hospitals, and they are: Fujairah Hospital, Dibba Hospital and Masafi Hospital. Fujairah Hospital is regarded as the largest of the three and operates as a primary central facility from which referrals can be arranged. To strengthen the role of the hospital a number of specialized centre have been added to it such as one for dentistry which has treated 16,799 patients in 2010.  The Gynaecology and Obstetrics Centre is another important addition, which has, since the start of last year overseen the following number of natural births: 778 Emirati citizens and 217 for expatriates and 256 Emirati citizens were born by way of caesarean section and 111 for expatriates.

In addition, there was the Thalassemia Centre, which was officially opened last October, the Centre for Cardiac Catheterization, which is semi-operational and has already completed 33 operations, the Centre for kidney dialysis is close to being inaugurated, along with plans for a specialized unit for intensive care in Dibba Hospital in order to cover the areas of population which lies in the range near to the hospital mentioned above. 

 

Q: There are complaints from patients about congestion in the emergency department of Fujairah Hospital?

 

Dr Saeed: We can confirm that we received such complaints and we put that down to the fact that the majority of patients at the A&E department are, in fact, classified as non-emergency situations, who are supposed to go to hospital clinics and primary health care centres, and we hope to resolve this problem.

 

Q: How many primary health centres are there in the emirate?

 

Dr Saeed: There are 11 centres, in all, with another three opening soon and this covers 60 to 70% of the total geographical area of the emirate and we need more health centres to cover the remainder of the emirate. We are currently working according to plan to meet this objective in the coming years. In addition, there are also primary health care services, specialized and educational, offered by these centres such as clinics for diabetes, obesity and smoking cessation, pre-marital screening and breast cancer.

 

Q: As you know, The Preventive Medicine and School Health centres are often seen as the standards of a successful medical zone, what plans do you have for those two centres?

 

Dr Saeed: The Centre for Preventive Medicine in the city of Fujairah is working to reduce the spread of infectious diseases and prevention from them, as well as employment screening and implementation of vaccination programs against diseases, maternal and child health services, along with awareness campaigns, and campaigns for the community against threats to public health, and we have qualified and capable staff able to carry out those duties. Also, we should not forget maternity and child centres that provide free medical care for expectant mothers as well as providing free vaccinations for children.

 

With regard to the Centre for School Health, we have been working previously on treatment services for school students, and are now beginning to exercise awareness roles for students in schools to educate them on important medical and health issues and, in particular, to increase their interest in avoiding diseases like obesity and diabetes. We also teach those already suffering from these issues the health education they need to cope with their conditions.