American Hospital Dubai hosts public awareness campaign to promote the use of infant car seats

DHA officials attend seminar to educate healthcare professionals on the importance of rear-facing child safety seat

American Hospital Dubai recently conducted a public awareness campaign to highlight the importance of infant car seats in support of the initiative launched by the Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) Public Health and Safety Department to promote the use of rear-facing child safety seats for new-born babies being discharged from hospital. Officials from DHA participated in the seminar to give a deeper insight to healthcare professionals, especially those associated with child birth, and new parents about the significance of the infant car seats for a baby’s safety.

The Public Health and Safety Department’s latest campaign to promote the use of infant car seats is in line with Dubai Plan 2021 and complements DHA’s Strategy 2021. It follows the international best practices and is in agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Transport Safety Council (TSC), and the American Academy of Paediatrics.

Peter Makowski, CEO, American Hospital Dubai, said: “Motor vehicles crashes is one of the leading causes of death among children. In Dubai’s fast moving traffic, it is highly critical for parents to ensure that their children are properly secured with age and weight appropriate child safety seats to prevent any fatal injuries. Car seats protects by spreading the crash forces over a wide area, slows down the body, and protect vital body parts such as head, neck and spine. In case of an infant, it is highly recommended as babies do not have well-developed neck and spine and their skull bones are not fused. We strongly support about the DHA’s campaign and strongly urge all new parents who are taking their new-born babies home to use rear-facing car seats.”

Car seats are an important safety innovation that can sustainably reduce the risk of unintentional yet potentially fatal injuries which has emerged as the leading cause of death in children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC), a child safety seat can reduce the risk of death in infants up to the age of one by 71 per cent and in children between the age of one and four by 54 per cent. Several countries worldwide have strict laws, stipulating all children, including new born babies to be safely secured in an age and weight appropriate child car seat. Non-compliance can lead to severe penalties. The UAE government is also due to implement strict penalties for not using an infant car seat for children less than 4 years.