School Health Services, one of AHS’s business units, is responsible for providing a comprehensive and coordinated school health program for all public school students in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi while following best practices and staying at par with international standards.

Established in 1968, the UAE school health program witnessed remarkable developments in both curative and preventive care within the period from 1977 to 2000. These developments were due to the increase in the number of students, which also resulted in an increase of school health staff and the development and expansion of the school health program in line with the changing lifestyle and health needs of the students.

Over the past decade, healthcare services in Abu Dhabi Emirate underwent a series of positive changes. In 2000, school health services in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi came under the umbrella of the General Authority (HAAD). In 2008, the responsibility of the school health program was delegated to the Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), following which the Abu Dhabi Educational Council (ADEC) contracted AHS to provide health services to students and to effectively operate and manage the school health program.

• School locations: ِAbu Dhabi island, Al Ain, the middle region and the western region
• Number of schools: 268 schools
• Number of students: over 120,000 students.
  

Services Provided
School Health Services (SHS) routinely conducts educational campaigns and health programs aimed at raising health awareness among students. In addition, SHS conducts preventive screening for body mass index, vision acuity, and blood pressure, provides first aid and implements a health education program, infectious diseases prevention and infection control program, and the HAAD school age immunization program.

Comprehensive Preventive Examination
Furthermore, a comprehensive preventive examination for grade 1, grade 5, and grade 9 school students was recently added to the program in collaboration with the Ambulatory Care Centers and the Mobile Clinic Services of AHS.  The newly added examination includes medical and preventive screening, such as blood testing, hearing screening and scoliosis as well as a preventive dental screening. It aims for the early detection of diseases which affect students’ academic performances and require further specialized medical care. For more information about this screening program, click here.