Dubai Health Authority addresses queries during ‘Leaders at Your Service' initiative.

Dubai Health Authority's monthly initiative provides the public an opportunity to directly ask DHA officials their queries.

Dubai, UAE, June 26, 2016:   The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) held recently the monthly ‘Leaders at Your Service' initiative.

This initiative takes place twice a month and provides customers with an opportunity to directly express their feedback, suggestions and complaints to senior DHA leaders.

This time the topic session was held on pharmaceutical services at the DHA and Dr Ali Sayed, Director of Pharmacy of the DHA and his team engaged with customers on various topics.

He addressed public queries during the live question and answer session and also discussed the importance of the “ Clean Your Medicine Campaign,” which was launched by the DHA in 2011. And educates the community of the correct method of storage, disposal and donation of medicines.

Since the launch of the campaign every month medicines worth approximately half a million dirhams are donated to UAE charities. 

As part of the campaign, DHA pharmacies located across 14 DHA primary healthcare centres and DHA hospitals( Dubai, Rashid, Latifa and Hatta) accept expired or unutilized medications that are dropped-off by the public.

Residents can return these medications to DHA pharmacies located across Dubai at no cost. 

Dr Ali Sayed, Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Dubai Health Authority, said: Expired medications are disposed of in line with international pharmaceutical safety guidelines. Unutilized medications are first reevaluated by experts within the pharmacy department and then the DHA donates valid medications that are in a good condition to charities.

“The aim of the campaign is two-fold- safe and effective disposal of deteriorated or expired medicines and donation of valid medications to charities. 

“Expired medication can pose serious health risks to individuals if not disposed of properly. Flushing down your medication is harmful for the environment and pollutes the water and disposing of the medicines in the garbage (even if it is tightly sealed) pollutes the soil. Therefore, the best way to dispose outdated medications is to return the medicines to the pharmacy for safe disposal.”

He added that the DHA coordinates with relevant authorities to dispose expired medication.

Several queries were addressed during the live session. 

Sheikha Al Rahoomi, director of customer relations department at the DHA highlighted the importance of this initiative and said: “This initiative provides customers with a direct platform to communicate with the leaders of the DHA  and give their suggestions, feedback or complaints. 

All calls received during the two-hour live session are recorded and promptly followed-up. In addition to this, the DHA has several platforms for customers to communicate with us.”

Al Rahoomi said during this initiative customers can call 800 342 to directly speak to the leaders selected.