Dubai has launched a number of new initiatives for the disabled including Smart Gate Special Counters at the airports, guidelines in Braille and ease of wheelchair access to facilities, among others.

Hamid Mohamed Al Qatami, chairman and director general of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), said Dubai has proved itself to be a successful universal model in dealing with people with disabilities.

It also completed a set of regulations that ensure full support for people with disabilities, integrating them in the society and areas where they can be gainfully employed and contribute effectively in the development of Dubai, he added.

Al Qatami said: “The DHA will spare no effort in providing the highest level of medical services for people with disabilities and the Authority’s strategy includes a set of advanced programs that ensures health and happiness for people with disabilities including programmes for early detection of disability, child health programs and specialised services for different types of disabilities.”

The DHA offers diagnosis and early intervention services and has opened a specialized center in the Al Jalila Hospital, which offers a bouquet of smart applications and services for the disabled.

Meanwhile Dubai Municipality, which has been actively working towards providing facilities such as floating wheel chairs at beach areas, easy access to public areas and its service centres, will highlight community initiatives and the facilities it has introduced toward attaining the Vision 2020 at the upcoming AccessAbilities Expo, the Middle East’s largest expo for individuals with disabilities.

The event runs from February 9 to 11 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Organised by Reed Expo and Nadd AlShiba PR & Event Management, the expo will bring more than 100 exhibitors from 30 countries to showcase the latest smart technologies in the field of disabilities.

Dubai Municipality offers easy and comfortable access to its services for the disabled at its service centres and trained staff members are available for assistance of those who need it. The civic body takes feedback from the residents regarding its services and develops its plans based on these views and requirements, constantly evaluating its initiatives to ensure maximum benefit to different segments of the society.

The municipality has also built its service centres in a way that these are easily accessible for people with disabilities. Electronic doors that ensure ease of entry, special counters with low height, staff that knows sign language, iPads to show procedures related to service applications and important documents for hearing-impaired customers, and an alarm system with red lights to inform the customer in case of any untoward happening are a few of those facilities. – TradeArabia News Service