Respiratory disease and hospitalization has increased by up to 25% due to sandstorms
Dubai, UAE: Today, as part of their ongoing commitment to raising awareness of key health problems that affect the local communities in which they work, MSD Gulf launched an awareness campaign to educate UAE citizens on the serious dangers sandstorms pose and provide information on the best ways to manage respiratory problems resulting from these storms. Hosted at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai, the event brought together medical and environmental experts who discussed the causes and dangers of sandstorms, as well as the best way for UAE citizens to protect themselves during sandstorms.
Talking about their decision to launch the campaign, Mr. Mazen Altaruti, Managing Director of MSD Gulf said "On average, the UAE faces between 8 to 10 severe sandstorms each year.[1] In many cases these sandstorms can last for several hours or sometimes even the whole day, bring traffic to a standstill, forcing places of work and school to close and significantly increasing the number of hospitalizations. Officials have suggested that hospital admissions due to respiratory diseases such as asthma have increased by as much as 25% over the last few years, as a result of severe weather; particularly sandstorms.[2] At MSD we are committed to addressing the issues and health problems that affect the local community most, and in the UAE sandstorms are a serious and growing problem."
In addition to being a major safety issue, with increased car accidents as sandstorms can reduce visibility to almost zero, these storms are a major cause of allergic rhinitis. Sandstorms carry large amounts of allergens including bacteria, fungi, viruses and pollens and because sandstorms have the ability to carry these allergens over large distances, the risk of bacterial and viral infections greatly increases during the sandstorm season.[3]
Elaborating on why sandstorms occur, Mr. Sufian Farah, Weather Forecasting Specialist for the National Centre of Meteorology and Seismology in Abu Dhabi said "Sand or dust storms are a weather phenomenon that is represented by a confluence of dust particles carried by turbulent and strong wind to higher altitude; which severely deteriorates the horizontal visibility in terms of meteorology. There are a number of different causes that play a role in dust eruption, dust transportation and dusts rising locally; most of these causes are directly related to the effecting pressure systems. There are different sources of dust and aerosols; however, the most dominant source is dust traveling from neighboring region of Iraq. The wind moves the dust south towards the UAE causing sandstorms. Mr. Farah went on to add "It is difficult to control sand or dust storms, due to the spread of deserts and sand dunes in the country and the surrounding regions; in fact this is one of the major reasons for the increase in sandstorms over the last few years."
Talking about the health risk of sandstorms, Dr. Hussain Abdel Rahman, Director of Medical Affairs and Head of the ENT Department at Dubai Hospital said "Sandstorms are a major cause of bacterial and viral infection particular amongst those with weaker immune systems such as the elderly and pediatrics, in addition to those with compromised immune systems. Additionally, because of the large amount of pollen these storms carry, allergies commonly known as allergic rhinitis, are also a problem. In severe cases and when left untreated, allergic rhinitis can lead to asthma, even in patients with no previous history of this illness.³ Children are a particularly high risk group with regards to allergies, with one in five already suffering from asthma and an additional 40% suffering from asthmatic episodes brought on by allergic rhinitis.[4]"
The awareness campaign which is supposed to run over the next few months, in-line with the UAE's sandstorm season; will focus on providing patients and medical professionals with important information on how to manage allergies and respiratory problems during these sandy months. Globally it is estimated that over 400 million people suffer from allergies, with around one third of UAE adults suffering from allergic rhinitis.[5] Research has shown that by simply raising awareness of key disease areas the health and well being of citizens is significantly improved.
About MSD, UAE:
MSD has had presence in the UAE since the 1970's, and currently has one office in Dubai and one in Abu Dhabi. The total number of employees is 83. MSD invests in partnerships and collaboration with local manufacturers and healthcare companies. MSD considers UAE as a priority country and continues to make all efforts to rapidly introduce innovative medicines to patients in UAE with a focus on unmet needs of patients, i.e. diabetes, cardiovascular, and several pioneering, novel vaccines. MSD in the UAE is committed to excellence in science, and has been focusing on clinical research activities in the region.
MSD works closely with customers to understand their needs and help them achieve their goals of patient care. In the past, MSD has already been partnering with health care authorities in the UAE on various programs, including an internet-based continuous medical education for health care professionals. With the approval of UAE Ministry of Health, MSD also developed diabetes patient education materials in English and Arabic, which is distributed to all clinics and health centers.
About MSD
Today's MSD is a global healthcare leader working to help the world be well. MSD is a trade name of Merck & Co., Inc., with headquarters in Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A. Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, and consumer care and animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than 140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to healthcare through far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information, visit www.merck.com and connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
[1] Hamza W, Enan M. R. et al. Dust Storms Over the Arabian Gulf: a Possible Indicator of Climate Changes Consequences. Aquatic Ecosystems Health and Management 14. (2011) 260 - 268.
[2] Rai B. S. Cases of Respiratory Problems up in UAE as Sandstorms Rage on. Emirates 24/7. 2012.
[3] Yamada P., Hatta T. et al. Inflammatory and Degranulation Effect of Yellow Sand on RBL-2H3 Cells in Relation to Chemical and Biological Constituents. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. 84 (2012) 9 -17
[4] Rai B. S. Cases of Respiratory Problems up in UAE as Sandstorms Rage on. Emirates 24/7. 2012.
[5] S. Alsowaidi, A. Abdulle. et al. Allergic rhinitis: prevalence and possible risk factors in a Gulf Arab population. Allergy. 2009.
© Press Release 2013
