UAE considers weather warning system for asthma sufferers
By John Dennehy
An early weather warning system for people with conditions such as asthma is one of several measures being considered by the UAE in response to climate change.
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Extreme temperatures or dust storms can exacerbate these conditions and flood hospitals with sufferers. So an early warning system that helps people prepare could help alleviate pressure on health facilities
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A US study published in April found that the UAE has the second highest rate - after Kuwait - of childhood asthma linked to traffic pollution in the Middle East with 460 cases per year per 100,000 children.
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Mr Al Hammadi [of the UAE’s Ministry for Climate Change and Environment] said cooling and desalination are responsible for a significant part of emissions but each country’s challenge was unique. “Give me a nice climate and we get rid of all the cooling. We can’t live without cooling here. But all entities are trying. Walk around Abu Dhabi today and you can see cycling paths and more public buses.
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