Allergy awareness drive launched in schools

Imran Mojib, Special Correspondent

A leading life sciences company has launched its educational outreach campaign throughout schools in Dubai to promote awareness surrounding allergies, as one study found prevalence of allergic rhinitis in school children in some parts of the UAE to be as high as 36%.

The educational campaign, launched on Thursday by Bayer, aims to target 100,000 students in Dubai and will include a series of education materials, videos, workshops and classes.

The scheme will deliver information provided by health experts to ensure optimised health outcomes.

The campaign will also raise awareness amongst parents and caregivers, providing allergy management tips for the home and emphasising the importance of seeing a specialist for timely diagnosis. Notably, this programme is one of the largest campaigns to raise allergy awareness within schools in Dubai.

Bayer is strongly dedicated to partnering with regional health authorities to introduce educational programs and medical initiatives to benefit patients and support the company’s mission of “science for a better life.”

Mohamed Galal, Vice President and Head of Bayer Middle East Consumer Health, said, “Knowledge and disease awareness amongst children is incredibly important to influence their health choices throughout adulthood; promoting awareness while influencing and empowering children’s choices at this crucial stage will benefit them in the long-term and improve their overall quality of life. We are highly committed to building partnerships with regional health authorities to implement educational campaigns to benefit patients in the UAE.”

Dr Bassam Mahboub, Consultant Pulmonologist, Head of the Pulmonary Medicine Unit at Dubai Health Authority and Head of Emirates Allergy and Respiratory Society, said, “One study found prevalence of allergic rhinitis in school children in some parts of the UAE to be as high as 36 per cent, which could impact their school productivity and academic performance due to absence.