2019 Winners & Shortlists

Describe any restrictions or regulations regarding Healthcare communications in your country/region (imposed by healthcare regulatory bodies, government, TV stations, etc.)

Most healthcare prescriptions in the UAE are written in English. Which makes it difficult for anyone who is illiterate to understand the recommended dosage and consumption requirements. Forcing most uneducated blue-collared workers to make assumptions and risk overdosing.

Describe the target audience

Dubai is home to one of the largest blue-collared population in the region. Most of them come from impoverished backgrounds, where literacy is a luxury. Making them incapable of reading and understanding standardized instructions which are usually in English, especially when it comes to prescribed medication.

Background

Dubai has a huge number of blue-collared workforce. A vast majority come from rural areas from around the region and from the Asian sub-continent which covers India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Most of these workers are illiterate or have limited literacy and converse only in their native language which limits their comprehension of many things. This includes taking medication. More than often, these workers make a guess on dosage and risk suffering from an overdose. To overcome this, the challenge was to devise a system which could work across the different profiles of workers. It had to be simple, cost-effective and above all universal in application.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

To address the issue of literacy and to curtail the risk of an overdose, a simple pictorial prescription sticker was devised. It clearly indicated all the key elements that were required. From the number of tablets or the amount of syrup, the frequency and time of consumption and the duration of the prescribed medication course were all illustrated on stickers which were pasted by the pharmacist on the medication packaging. Common and basic symbols were utilised to ensure comprehension was absolute.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

While all workers are provided with healthcare benefits, there is no prescription system developed for those who have trouble reading. Therefore, medications are consumed based on what was informed verbally or through handwritten indications. Printed labels currently used were simply not useful. The strategy then was to introduce a solution which would eliminate any confusion and was easily understood. The solution had to also be user-friendly, so no misinterpretation would occur when it is put in use.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Being the regulatory body in the emirate, Dubai Health Authority had the avenue to implement the initiative across all healthcare service providers especially with pharmacies. Several key pharmacies which were frequented by blue-collared workers were identified to pilot the project. The feedback, response and effectiveness were monitored over a two-month period to accommodate revision and fine-tuning if they were necessary before the unique system became a mandate throughout Dubai. The successful implementation in Dubai will definitely pave way for a national-level launch.

List the results (30% of vote)

- 100% comprehension and ease of use by pharmacists - 97% comprehension by illiterate blue-collared workers - 0 reported cases of medication overdose in Dubai - Introduced to 247 registered pharmacies and government hospitals across Dubai