"Wasfat", (Prescriptions), is new community initiative launched by Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO), aiming to facilitate the deaf and blind people of determination's access to medicines via means of communication appropriate for them, and to explain use instructions in sign languages for the deaf and Braille for the blind. ZHO singed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Reyada Management of Medical Facilities and Medicina Pharmacies Group on cooperation in the field of providing medical prescriptions in ways appropriate for people of determination through the use of information technology and data management to improve the business environment.
Tripartite understanding between "Zayed Higher Organization", "Reyada Management of Medical Facilities " and "Medicina Pharmacies"
Cooperation in providing prescriptions in Braille for the blind and sign language for the deaf
"Wasfat" targets 950 blind people and 1,300 deaf people of determination in Abu Dhabi, and will expand to include all people of determination in the UAE
"Wasfat", (Prescriptions), is new community initiative launched by Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination (ZHO), aiming to facilitate the deaf and blind people of determination's access to medicines via means of communication appropriate for them, and to explain use instructions in sign languages for the deaf and Braille for the blind. ZHO singed a tripartite memorandum of understanding with Reyada Management of Medical Facilities and Medicina Pharmacies Group on cooperation in the field of providing medical prescriptions in ways appropriate for people of determination through the use of information technology and data management to improve the business environment.
The new initiative aims to uphold people of determination's independent living principle in the field of using medicines and drugs through safe delivery. It also aims to explain how to take them through the ways of communication they are familiar with, particularly in light of the increasing need to reduce contact with strangers while applying precautionary and preventive measures to curb the spread of the Coronavirus (Covid-19).
Pursuant to the cooperation between ZHO, Reyada and Medicina, instructions for using medicines are prepared in Braille for the blind, and sign language videos for the deaf, in addition to communication with the deaf in sign language for medical consultations, as well as launching a sign language hotline to serve the deaf via visual communication applications, along with a sign language interpreter to provide the necessary support and advice, and dispense medicines with the required labels and illustrative videos.
The visual tripartite memorandum of understanding was signed by ZHO's Secretary General His Excellency Abdulla Abdulalee Alhumaidan, Reyada's Executive Director Dr. Atef Al-Shaer, and Medicina's CEO Abdul Rauf El Jabour Al-Jabour, in the presence of a myriad of officials from the three sides.
The new initiative is based on delivering medicines for people of determination at their homes, with an illustration of how to use them in Braille for the blind and in sign language for the deaf. It targets people of determination with visual impairments in Abu Dhabi, estimated at around 950 people, and people of determination with hearing impairment in Abu Dhabi, estimated at around 1,300 people. The initiative is set to expand at a later stage to include all groups of people of determination in Abu Dhabi and across the United Arab Emirates.
For his part, ZHO's Secretary General His Excellency Abdulla Abdulalee Alhumaidan, said: "ZHO has always been keen to launch and support various initiatives that serve all groups of people of determination. "Wasfat" is aimed at serving order and delivery of medicines and explaining how to have them in the appropriate languages for people of determination in sign language for the deaf and in Braille for the blind. It is one of the important community initiatives that serve these groups by helping them learn about the use instructions without the need for assistance, and reducing error risks while taking medicines by the targeted people of determination are in lack of permanent assistance by others."
He added that people of determination with visual impairment have great difficulties in reading the use instructions on packs, both in Arabic and English, that they have to ask family members or others for drug-taking help. People of determination with hearing impairment, especially illiterate ones, have great difficulties in reading the use instructions, when they are not given illustration in sign language. In this sense, we thought of innovative ways and methods to find solutions to these problems, and finally came out with "Wasfat".
His Excellency Abdulla Abdulalee Alhumaidan thanked officials at Reyada and Medicina for their cooperation with ZHO in launching and implementing this initiative, noting that all state institutions and public and private companies have made great strides in all basic walks of life, especially the education and health sectors in addition to plenty of service sectors concerned with the daily life affairs, to integrate people of determination into society and empower them.
Under the initiative, ZHO is committed to presenting the idea of explaining the method and mechanism of using medicines through ways of communication appropriate for people of determination, listing and updating the use instructions periodically or when needed, and printing them in Braille for the blind in the form of labels, as well as preparing illustrative videos for use in sign language for the deaf, and capturing data of people of determination according to the target impairment groups and facilitating the process of communicating with them.
In consolidation of efforts in healthcare field, Reyada Management of Medical Facilities has taken in charge the coordination of partnership and initial agreement between ZHO and Medicina Pharmacies Group, and proposed the mechanism of action in the initiative. It will provide advice and supervise the meeting of the requirements of people of determination. Further, it will make its efforts to ensure the development and implementation of ZHO's requirements and verification of their compliance with the required specifications, in addition to evaluating the training phase and proposing appropriate solutions to address the challenges and measure customer satisfaction. Reyada has allocated a qualified cadre to carry out the initiative through online platforms.
By this tripartite cooperation, Medicina Pharmacies Group is working on developing the mechanism of action according to ZHO's requirements, launching the updated characteristics and additions, training staff, patients and family members to take advantage of the new initiative, ensuring smooth order and delivery of medicines, dispensing medicines with labels in Braille for blind and the required guiding videos in sign language for the deaf, and providing the necessary consultations for the use of medicines after dispensing.
On behalf of Medicina Group of Pharmacies, Dr. Abdul Rauf El Jabour, Chief Executive Officer, praised the efforts of our reputable UAE leaders that strive to nurture the people of determination, highlighting: We are honored to be in line with the strategies of the UAE government and we are proud to be part of this initiative that improves the serenity of life for people who face audio-visual challenges.
Medicina Group of Pharmacies, being a national medical corporate; we commit and promise to provide medications and medical supplies and tailor their counselling to meet the needs of each individual patient using Braille or sign language to ensure medication adherence. This will guarantee their self-dependence and motivate the patient to take an active role in his health management.
Furthermore, we will extend our services and deliver the medications to their respective residences throughout the emirate of Abu Dhabi covering Abu Dhabi City, Al Dhafrah Region and Al Ain City.
We are determined and keen to provide our full support to the people of determination and adopt any new initiatives that will benefit the UAE society.
In alliance with our partners, Zayed Higher Organization for People of Determination and Reyada Management of Medical Facilities, we declare that we will devote all our efforts to continuously raise and enhance the wellbeing of this community to ensure an integrated community, free from any barriers, which empowers the people of determination and guarantees their right to a dignified life in alignment with the vision of the Ministry of Community Development.
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