DUBAI, (Pakistan Point News - 26th Apr, 2020) In response to the National Home Testing Program for People of Determination, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the efforts of the UAE to curb the spread of Coronavirus-COVID 19, the Ministry of Community Development issued a "Parents’ Guide to Prepare People of Determination for Home Testing Program" in order to support the success of the programme that has been implemented by the Ministry of Interior, National Ambulance and Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination in cooperation with the Ministry of Community Development.
In this regard, Wafa Hamad Bin Sulaiman, Director of Welfare and Rehabilitation Department for People of Determination at the Ministry of Community Development, revealed that the ministry had begun implementing workshops for paramedics about the strategies of dealing with people of determination during their home testing, noting that nearly 37 paramedics have been trained in the first phase and the ministry will continue to train more paramedics in order to accomplish the tasks of the home testing programme in a short span of time all over the UAE.
The programme is a proactive idea to promote maximum health prevention in the current circumstances, assured the UAE’s leadership, for the welfare and empowerment of the People of Determination and securing a healthy and a safe life for them. The programme targets People of Determination who are unable to easily access special testing centres, based on the efforts to facilitate preventive testing to all members of the society all over the emirates.
Bin Sulaiman, emphasized that the guide has been announced and published through the autism platform on the ministry’s website and communicates with parents through text messages to inform them of the guide.
She said, "Since the experience is new, especially for children of determination, they must, therefore, be prepared before the home testing programme according to certain strategies that accommodate their abilities. The ministry, therefore, was very keen to accomplish a set of strategies that can be used before and during the home testing process in cooperation with parents and the home testing team, keeping in mind that some strategies may be suitable for one child and not suit the other."
Bin Sulaiman elaborated that parents should cooperate with the home testing team, provide them with adequate information about their children, set the appropriate date and time for the program, ensure that the child is regularly taking special medications for certain cases, gets enough sleep and food, as well as the need for a person close to the child, be provided a suitable place at home, and prepare him before the testing.
The ministry has developed detailed procedures to guide parents of People of Determination with well-thought scientific steps, to deal with their children in cases of hyperactivity, sensory touch problems, and problems towards sounds, lights and taste.
The Ministry of Community Development advised parents to take the initiative to communicate and coordinate in advance with the paramedics to carry out specific practical procedures that meet the requests of the People of Determination.
