Tawam Hospital to Launch Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign

Tawam Hospital is going to launch a breast cancer awareness campaign during the whole month of October.
October is typically used to raise awareness about the disease all over the world, and Tawam aims to do the same in the UAE.
The Health Authority of Abu-Dhabi (HAAD), and Abu-Dhabi’s health services organisation (SEWA), are supporting Tawam in its efforts during the coming month.
Although the campaign aims to raise awareness about breast cancer all over the UAE, its activities will be largely concentrated in the cities of Abu-Dhabi and Al-Ain, especially in those areas where awareness is low.
The campaign will educate men, women, and families about breast cancer by highlighting the importance of early detection, regular check-ups, and self examinations.
Tawam hospital is also going to screen women aged 40 and above free of charge, using their mobile mammography van, in the areas they visit.
Lots of family and community oriented activities will also be organised, to make the learning experience fun as well as educational.
There will even be a “Fun Run” at Al Tuwaya Public Park in Al-Ain, and it’s open to anyone who wishes to participate.
As a mark of solidarity, other organisations in the community, including some media organisations, are going to celebrate “Pink Day” on October 26th. Everyone will wear at least one piece of clothing that is pink.
Tawam Hospital wants to make sure people are aware of the signs and symptoms of breast cancer, as well as being pro-active about their health. It emphasises the importance of early detection in being able to combat the disease successfully.
They do say prevention is better than cure. Here’s hoping the hospital succeeds in raising awareness, and saving lots and lots of lives.

Source: gulfnews.com

Welcome to the UAE, Irena

The UAE recently won the rights to host the headquarters of Irena – the International Renewable Energy Agency.

Major competitors like Germany and Austria bowed out after it became obvious the majority of Irena’s 129 member states showed overwhelming support for the UAE.

Winning the bid to host the headquarters of Irena is a huge accomplishment for the UAE because its decision to compete was viewed with scepticism and surprise by most in the beginning, and chances of a win seemed slim, if not impossible.

The UAE has reason to be proud of its victory, because it is the first and only country in the developing world to host a major international organisation like the newly formed Irena. Till date, no developing country can make such a claim.

Irena’s headquarters are going to be in Masdar City, in the UAE’s capital, Abu-Dhabi.

Masdar City is touted to be the globe’s first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city, and is currently under construction. Its date of completion is set to be sometime in October 2011, and the city is going to have all its energy needs provided for by renewable energy sources, like solar energy, for example.

Irena’s director general, Helene Pelosse, says the UAE and the rest of the Gulf region is ideal for such projects because of the weather conditions and all the area available for construction and development. She called Abu-Dhabi the “renewable energy city of the future”, and said that, “the sun is tomorrow’s oil”.

Pelosse also added that the UAE would begin to export renewable energy well before its oil supplies run out, and the technologies needed to do this are in place.

The Gulf region is unique in that it’s blessed with warm and sunny weather almost all through the year, and that’s good news when it comes to projects like this.

At the moment, the UAE uses fossil fuels, like oil, to fulfil its energy requirements. Needless to say, this doesn’t help the environment, and nor is it a permanent solution because such resources will eventually run out.

The UAE makes a lot of revenue by exporting oil, but once all the oil is gone, it needs something to replace it for continued income from the trade.

Irena is good for the country not only because it puts it on the international map, but also because it is going to ensure the UAE has enough energy for export once its non-renewable resources run out.Irena will allow the UAE to become one of the main exporters of renewable energy to national as well as international markets, and may even trump the US and Europe’s energy supplies by 2020.

Irena currently has a 136 state member panel, with more states expected to join. Once its membership increases, it aims to become a UN agency.

Irena isn’t just a matter of prestige and increased trade for the UAE, but also promises to bring more employment and research opportunities into the country. New jobs and opportunities for studies in the field will draw experts and students alike to the UAE.

As Irena promises to be the start of something great, the UAE seems all set to be the leader in developing new technologies and making a carbon-free imprint of its own.

Sources: Gulf News

To view an illustration of Irena: http://archive.gulfnews.com/nation/Environment/10328839.html

For more info about Masdar City: http://archive.gulfnews.com/indepth/irena/more_stories/10327093.html

For what some residents think about Irena: http://archive.gulfnews.com/articles/09/07/01/10327572.html