ABU DHABI // The Ministry of Health is trying to come to grips with what appears to be a looming crisis in adolescent health. In a bid to address what the World Health Organisation (WHO) calls a "neglected" area, it has begun a follow-up survey to a 2005 study to better isolate the problem areas and formulate remedial action.
Dr Mariam al Matroushi, director of the ministry's central department of school health, said the survey would focus on mental health, violence at home and at school, and physical activity as children become ever more sedentary. The previous study found that one third of problems faced by adolescents in the UAE were psychological, Dr al Matroushi said. Up to 3,000 pupils aged 13 to 15 at 52 schools - 26 government and 26 private - will be questioned in the latest study, which began last month. The UAE was among the first group of Arab countries to carry out the WHO's school-health survey in 2005, which involved 194 schools.
"The survey opened our eyes to many different issues we need to target," Dr al Matroushi said, "and mental health is certainly one of these which we need to focus on." She is now campaigning to have a counsellor in each school to care for those with medical conditions, to prevent problems and to identify any behavioural issues. "They should be with the children when a situation arises that could lead to stress or psychological problems," she said.
Worldwide, approximately 20 per cent of children and adolescents suffer from a "disabling mental illness", according to the WHO, including anxiety, depression and behavioural disorders. In the Global School-Based Student Health Survey, it found that 13 per cent of the 15,790 questioned had seriously considered attempting suicide during the 12 months prior to the survey and that 9.8 per cent actually considered how they would do it.
Since suicide is strictly prohibited under Islam, there are few regional statistics available on the subject. Worldwide, however, suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents, with about four million trying to kill themselves each year, according to the WHO. More than 35 per cent reported feeling "so sad or hopeless every day for two weeks or more in a row that they stopped doing their usual activities during the past 12 months" and more than 15 per cent said they felt lonely "most of the time or always", the global survey showed.
Mental health is still a stigma in the UAE, Dr al Matroushi said, although it has improved as society becomes more open to discussing the subject. "We are progressing in removing its stigma," she said. "We need to address it; this research has shown us this." One of the most surprising finds of the research - which also looked into drug and alcohol abuse and awareness of sexually transmitted diseases - was the prevalence of violence in and out of school, Dr Matroushi said.
The ministry's first study showed that almost a third of students had been attacked at school by bullies during the previous 12 months and that two out of five had been involved in a physical fight one or more times. Dr al Matroushi said this finding had been unexpected. "It puts an obligation on us to teach our children how to resolve our conflicts reasonably," she said. "We should deliver it to them routinely, how to resolve their problems. In our community we feel in general that the UAE is safer than many other countries.
"You rarely hear about people being attacked at night, for example, but when you hear they have been involved in fighting or been the victim of abuse, you feel frustrated." Dr al Matroushi emphasised that this was not limited to school. "It includes everywhere," she said. She said the ministry was trying to raise children's physical activity levels and nutrition after research showed the extent of sedentary behaviour. But she cautioned that positive results would take time to achieve.
"You have to work for years to see results in reducing these levels of obesity and diabetes," she said. "Everybody here is doing something, the ministry, the Red Crescent. Change needs to come through these combined initiatives." Dr al Matroushi said the ministry sought a "comprehensive plan" to change the environment for children. "It's not a healthy country," she said. "In the malls you don't find healthy food. Even in the health institutions you find unhealthy junk food. Our children see us eating badly, so how can we be role models?"
In a conference on adolescent health this week, Dr Suzanne Farhoud, the regional adviser for child and adolescent health at the WHO, said children's health was a "neglected area" that needed to be better understood. "The Ministry of Health can't do it alone," she said. All sectors, including "schools, families, health care providers, teachers, social workers, religious advocates, leaders and the adolescents themselves" must be involved.
@Email:mswan@thenational.ae * With additional reporting from Nadia el Dasher
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Teams:
Punjabi Legends Owners: Inzamam-ul-Haq and Intizar-ul-Haq; Key player: Misbah-ul-Haq
Pakhtoons Owners: Habib Khan and Tajuddin Khan; Key player: Shahid Afridi
Maratha Arabians Owners: Sohail Khan, Ali Tumbi, Parvez Khan; Key player: Virender Sehwag
Bangla Tigers Owners: Shirajuddin Alam, Yasin Choudhary, Neelesh Bhatnager, Anis and Rizwan Sajan; Key player: TBC
Colombo Lions Owners: Sri Lanka Cricket; Key player: TBC
Kerala Kings Owners: Hussain Adam Ali and Shafi Ul Mulk; Key player: Eoin Morgan
Venue Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Format 10 overs per side, matches last for 90 minutes
Timeline October 25: Around 120 players to be entered into a draft, to be held in Dubai; December 21: Matches start; December 24: Finals
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Company name: baraka
Started: July 2020
Founders: Feras Jalbout and Kunal Taneja
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Sector: FinTech
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Stage: Pre-seed capital raising of $1 million
Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
The Energy Research Centre
Founded 50 years ago as a nuclear research institute, scientists at the centre believed nuclear would be the “solution for everything”.
Although they still do, they discovered in 1955 that the Netherlands had a lot of natural gas. “We still had the idea that, by 2000, it would all be nuclear,” said Harm Jeeninga, director of business and programme development at the centre.
"In the 1990s, we found out about global warming so we focused on energy savings and tackling the greenhouse gas effect.”
The energy centre’s research focuses on biomass, energy efficiency, the environment, wind and solar, as well as energy engineering and socio-economic research.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
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The Indoor Cricket World Cup
When: September 16-23
Where: Insportz, Dubai
Indoor cricket World Cup:
Insportz, Dubai, September 16-23
UAE fixtures:
Men
Saturday, September 16 – 1.45pm, v New Zealand
Sunday, September 17 – 10.30am, v Australia; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Monday, September 18 – 2pm, v England; 7.15pm, v India
Tuesday, September 19 – 12.15pm, v Singapore; 5.30pm, v Sri Lanka
Thursday, September 21 – 2pm v Malaysia
Friday, September 22 – 3.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 3pm, grand final
Women
Saturday, September 16 – 5.15pm, v Australia
Sunday, September 17 – 2pm, v South Africa; 7.15pm, v New Zealand
Monday, September 18 – 5.30pm, v England
Tuesday, September 19 – 10.30am, v New Zealand; 3.45pm, v South Africa
Thursday, September 21 – 12.15pm, v Australia
Friday, September 22 – 1.30pm, semi-final
Saturday, September 23 – 1pm, grand final
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Jumanji: The Next Level
Director: Jake Kasdan
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Jack Black, Nick Jonas
Two out of five stars
Countries offering golden visas
UK
Innovator Founder Visa is aimed at those who can demonstrate relevant experience in business and sufficient investment funds to set up and scale up a new business in the UK. It offers permanent residence after three years.
Germany
Investing or establishing a business in Germany offers you a residence permit, which eventually leads to citizenship. The investment must meet an economic need and you have to have lived in Germany for five years to become a citizen.
Italy
The scheme is designed for foreign investors committed to making a significant contribution to the economy. Requires a minimum investment of €250,000 which can rise to €2 million.
Switzerland
Residence Programme offers residence to applicants and their families through economic contributions. The applicant must agree to pay an annual lump sum in tax.
Canada
Start-Up Visa Programme allows foreign entrepreneurs the opportunity to create a business in Canada and apply for permanent residence.
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- 400m Olympic running track
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Transmission: Six-speed automatic
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Torque: 147Nm (engine), plus 170Nm (battery)
Fuel economy, combined: 3.4L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Student Of The Year 2
Director: Punit Malhotra
Stars: Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria, Ananya Pandey, Aditya Seal
1.5 stars
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
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Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
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Favourite TV show: That 70s Show
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Name of first pet: Eddy, a Persian cat that showed up at our home
Favourite dog breed: I love them all - if I had to pick Yorkshire terrier for small dogs and St Bernard's for big
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Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
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Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
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List of officials:
Referees: Chris Broad, David Boon, Jeff Crowe, Andy Pycroft, Ranjan Madugalle and Richie Richardson.
Umpires: Aleem Dar, Kumara Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Bruce Oxenford, Ruchira Palliyaguruge, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker, Michael Gough, Joel Wilson and Paul Wilson.
