The second meeting of the Wellbeing Council was virtual that highlighted health sector's efforts during pandemic recovery phase to promote the wellbeing of population as well as the measures to tackle pandemic and return to normal life.

This was reviewed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) in line with the objectives of the National Wellbeing Strategy 2031.

The meeting was chaired by Hessa bint Essa Buhumaid, Minister of Community Development, and Chairwoman of the Wellbeing Council, and participated by council members from federal and local authorities and executive councils from all across the UAE.

The meeting was attended by Dr. Hussein Abdul Rahman Al Rand, Assistant Under-Secretary of Public Health Sector representing the Ministry of Health and Prevention, while Dr. Aisha Al Muhairi, Director of Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Office at the Ministry reviewed the features of healthy wellbeing during recovery phase of COVID-19 pandemic, based on the statement of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, "Wellbeing is a priority in our day-to-day work and is on the top of the government's priorities. We want our society to be the most cohesive, healthiest and happiest."

The meeting focused on global leadership exhibited by the UAE in total vaccine doses and the proportion of vaccine recipients divided by population. These are explicit indicators of successfully working towards controlling the epidemiological situation, and the affirmation that public health is a government priority.

Dr. Aisha Al Muhairi emphasised that the UAE has led the world in taking proactive measures to manage COVID-19 pandemic. The MoHAP’s initiatives and activities demonstrated a proactive role played by the UAE towards taking all possible measures to maintain a healthy wellbeing of individuals and UAE society at large. She further noted that promoting wellbeing during pandemic recovery phase starts with the control of the epidemic situation. This was possible through several initiatives launched by MoHAP in partnership with relevant federal ministries and government authorities, including conducting free proactive tests for all the members of the society making the UAE first in the world in the rate of proportional tests carried out as per the population. Additionally, the capacity of examination centres in all health authorities has been expanded in addition to the launch of the national home screening programme for UAE citizens and residents’ people of determination, along with a trained medical team to visit and give COVID-19 examinations at home.

Al Muhairi revealed that the UAE made great achievements in controlling and combating COVID-19 pandemic, leading the global vaccine rate per 100 people in countries with a population of more than 1 million people; it is also the first in the world to receive the vaccine first dose of the total population number and in terms of the percentage of the population who have received all the doses of vaccine. It has also been ranked fifth in the world with the lowest COVID-19 related mortality rate.

MoHAP has been keen to establish recovery based on a phased scientific approach on basis of assessment of response activities and taken health measures and based on demographics, health needs and local prevalence rates. This is in line with various measures, including “COVID-19 geographical distribution, the level of the disease local transmission in each region, existence of sufficient available capabilities and resources such as the availability of personal protective equipments, medicines and laboratory capabilities, infection control and the presence of high-level safety protocols to ensure the protection of staff and patients and reduce the number of cases among them, as well as awareness and ongoing health education in addition to strengthening supply chains and providing strategic stock of medicines and medical supplies.”

As far as school health initiatives are concerned, the Health Nutrition Programme, Healthy Physical Activity Stimulation Programme for School Students, School Health Education Initiative and Preventive Re-School Procedures have been launched. About 380 health care officials and nurses in schools have been trained along with promoting mental health for school students, an initiative including 46 trainers and 964 health and education staff.

As part of the vaccination services continuing in schools and despite pandemic, pressure on health staff, and with students staying home, vaccination campaigns were conducted during the summer in July and August 2020, that focused on students and parents who were vaccinated during school days with all precautionary measures having excellent coverage rate of 93.4%.

Finally, Dr. Aisha Al Muhairi spoke about country’s post-pandemic strategy like establishment of the Health Wellbeing Office at the Ministry of Health and Prevention and the formation of the National Committee for Health Wellbeing, also the adoption of initiatives consistent with the Wellbeing Strategy 2031, that strengthen health wellbeing indicators’ results depending on the National Survey of Physical and Mental Wellbeing.

WAM