The Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA’s) Mosaadah (assistance) programme, which aims to provide medical treatment to patients with financial constraints, received more than Dh11 million ($2.9 million) in donations last year.

The donation helped provide medical assistance to 891 patients with financial difficulties, said a statment.

The Mosaadah programme is one of the key initiatives of the Community and Humanitarian Services Department of the DHA. Through this programme, the authority reaches out to both locals and non-locals who require medical treatment but cannot afford it, it said.

Salim bin Lahej, director of the community and humanitarian services section at the DHA, said: “Since the inception of this programme in 2012, we have come a long way and I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who donated and volunteered. They have made a tremendous difference to the lives of these patients, several of whom are battling chronic-conditions but do not have the means to seek treatment.”

“The programme offers a variety of medical services and often patients need multiple services. It covers the cost of surgeries, medication, one-time medical assistance, hospital stay, x-rays and other diagnostic tests, physiotherapy etc.”

More than 890 patients were treated, of which 162 needed surgeries, 124 patients were provided one-time medical assistance and 145 patients received medications.

“Often the cost of medications is quite expensive. For example, patients seeking blindness prevention treatment require four to five injections over a course of few months and each injection is Dh10,000. Patients undergoing chemotherapy require several cycles of treatment and each cycle costs approximately Dh8,000,” said Bin Lahej.

“Our aim is to ensure that lack of funds does not get in their way, so that patients particularly those with chronic diseases, are able to complete the course of their treatment and be as healthy as possible.”

He said patients with various medical conditions including burns, cardiac problems, cancer patients etc. are provided treatment through this initiative.

Ahmed Ibrahim Alasad, team leader of the community and humaniatian services section at the DHA, added, that in 2014, in addition to provision of treatment, the programme provided medical equipment worth Dh211,000 to these patients.

The organisations that helped raise donations included Department of Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities, Beit Al Khair, Dar Al Bar, Dubai Charity, Union Coop, Dubai Islamic bank Humanitarian Foundation, Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation, Axios International.

In addition to this, the programme also received donations from several individuals. - TradeArabia News Service