Abu Dhabi: Injuries are responsible for more than 40 per cent of deaths among children aged four to 17 years in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, health officials said on Thursday.

It is also equally worrying that 34 per cent of all non-fatal injuries that are reported every year, or 19,900 cases, in the emirate, pertain to children aged 17 years or younger.

“The majority of these non-fatal injuries are seen among Emirati children aged up to nine years. At this point, we must stress that parents have a huge role in preventing and safeguarding against all kinds of injuries, especially as 79 per cent of all non-fatal injuries occur at home,” said Dr Jamal Al Mutawa, manager of community health and surveillance at the Department of Health — Abu Dhabi.

“The burden of injuries is not small, and because a child’s eyes see no danger, it is our responsibility to make the environment around them safe and keep them away from ever-present but preventable hazards,” he added.

Dr Al Mutawa was speaking at the launch of the Childhood Injury Prevention Programme, which aims to reduce the burden of injuries among children aged up to 14 years.

In the UAE, the last few years have seen a number of reports about children falling to death from buildings or suffocating to death in locked vehicles. In other instances, children have also drowned in pools, or after falling into buckets. The department will, therefore, work to create awareness about hazards and physical risks that lead to falls, suffocation, choking, burning, drowning and fatigue.

According to statistics revealed by officials, 64 per cent of fatal injuries are the result of road traffic incidents. Drowning accounts for another nine per cent of fatal injuries, while falls account for seven per cent and burns six per cent.

“Clearly, such injuries can be minimised through simple measures like the use of car seats, the installation of fencing around pools and stairways, and supervision of children in the bath and hazardous areas like the kitchen,” said Dr Omniyat Al Hajeri, director of public health at the department.

Officials stressed, however, that fatal injuries account for only one per cent of all injuries.

“We must remember that the majority of injuries are non-fatal but they can cause severe disability and pain,” Dr Al Mutawa stressed. He revealed that 56 per cent of these non-fatal injuries are the result of falls, while wounds, burns, poisoning and road traffic incidents account for another 44 per cent.

The department has, therefore, developed educational materials, including brochures and videos, and will be distributing these to parents and caregivers in collaboration with health facilities and community organisations. The campaign will be undertaken with the support of the public health providers, the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, the UAE Ministry of Interior and the Family Development Foundation.

“Many a parent makes the mistake of thinking that tragic injuries will not happen to their children. But we must remember that children are always looking to explore, and it takes just a second of inattention for a grievous injury to occur,” Dr Al Hajeri told Gulf News.

In addition, medical professionals have also been trained to further educate parents, and first-aid training is currently being provided.

In future phases, the department also aims to roll out similar campaigns to minimise injuries among adolescents, adults and the elderly.

Prevent childhood injuries at home

Remember that young children are especially prone to injuries because their physical attributes are different from adults, and these injuries can easily become disabling or fatal. They have thin bodies, smaller stature, smaller airways, and comparatively higher head to body size ratio.

Always supervise young children around the house, especially in danger-prone areas like the kitchen, bathroom, garden and garage.

Install safety gateways and fencing around stairways and pools.

Install security locks on windows, balcony doors and doors leading outside.

Move furniture away from windows.

Keep sharp and tiny objects, medicines and household cleaning products out of reach, or safely locked away.

Use automatic locking systems around pools and wells.

Empty out all tubs of water immediately after use, as even a few litres of water can drown a child in seconds.

Turn saucepan handles away so that they are out of reach.

Plug electrical sockets and outlets that are not in use.

Source: Department of Health — Abu Dhabi