Day: December 29, 2022

Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) provides a positive and motivational environment that supports female employees and helps them turn challenges into opportunities and effectively contribute to building the nation and future generations. The number of DEWA’s female employees has reached 1,937 across all divisions. This number includes 778 female employees in the technical and engineering sectors and 523 employees in senior positions. Emirati women form 83% of the total workforce at DEWA. DEWA’s Research and Development (R&D) Centre has 16 female employees, 15 of whom are Emiratis. The female staff constitute around 35% of the R&D Centre’s team.

DEWA Women’s Committee plays a key role in supporting DEWA’s female staff. The committee organised more than 50 social and technical activities and received four benchmarking visits during 2022. The female employee satisfaction towards the Committee’s performance reached 94.5%. Over the past three years, DEWA’s female employees were offered over 50,000 training opportunities and received 63 scholarships. DEWA hosted 28 fresh graduates in 2022, including 26 in engineering and technical fields.

“DEWA supports the women’s empowerment journey, which was initiated by the late Founding Father, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan; and supported by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE; His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, Chairwoman of the General Women’s Union, Supreme Chairwoman of the Family Development Foundation, and President of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood (Mother of the Nation). This has made the UAE and Dubai a successful model in women empowerment regionally and globally. DEWA is one of the national organisations that support women in the energy sector, especially clean and renewable energy and sustainability. It provides equal opportunities for both men and women, focusing on empowering women in senior and technical positions. This makes it a role model for public and private government organisations inside and outside the UAE,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD&CEO of DEWA.

Fatima Al Jokar, Chairperson of DEWA Women’s Committee, highlighted that DEWA’s top management provides all support to the Committee, to ensure the success of female employees in achieving a balance between their social, professional and personal lives. This also helps them play a pivotal role in DEWA’s local and global achievements. The Women’s Committee provides all opportunities to enable female employees in different positions to succeed and develop to the best of their abilities. This helps achieve their happiness and that of their families.

“The Women’s Committee organises events, activities, and benchmarking. It participates in local and international events to exchange knowledge and expertise and promote cooperation. The Committee is keen to conclude effective partnerships with the concerned authorities and organisations, to provide female employees with the necessary expertise and knowledge. It also recognises competent, capable and dedicated female employees and highlights their role in serving society,” said Aysha Al Asam, Vice-Chairperson of DEWA Women’s Committee.

8th Emirati Women Forum

In celebration of Emirati Women’s Day 2022, DEWA held the 8th Emirati Women’s Forum at DEWA Academy in Al Hudaiba under the theme ‘Inspiring Reality…Sustainable Future’. HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA attended the event, along with several officials. The event was broadcast live on DEWA’s internal and external channels to help all female employees attend the forum as well as women committees at different organisations.

International Women’s Day

In conjunction with International Women’s Day 2022, DEWA Women’s Committee held a motivational virtual session titled ‘Success for all women’ to celebrate the achievements of its female employees and their pivotal role in promoting DEWA’s success, excellence and global position. The Committee also organised an internal virtual competition to recognise pioneering women and showcase their success and achievements.

Honouring outstanding engineers

On ‘International Women in Engineering Day’, DEWA recognised Emirati female engineers in all divisions. These women represent shining examples of effective national work and preparing future generations. The Committee organised a celebration at Dubai Ladies Club, to honour 10 of its distinguished female engineers, who received certificates of appreciation, cash gifts, and an annual membership at the Dubai Ladies Club. The Committee also organised a series of panel discussions to highlight their achievements. The Committee launched the second edition of “#your day… as an engineer”, which focused on their daily responsibilities, and how they overcome challenges and benefit from opportunities. The Committee also held an interactive workshop on enhancing positive energy in the work environment.

Women’s Forum Global Meeting 2022

The Committee participated in the Women’s Forum Global Meeting 2022, which was held in Paris, France. Delegates from 172 countries from around the world took part in exchanging knowledge and expertise in women’s empowerment and their role in achieving sustainable development.

Hosting the Pink Caravan

In conjunction with the International Month for Breast Cancer Awareness, which falls in October every year, the Committee hosted the Pink Caravan, to create awareness on early detection of breast cancer and ways to prevent it. The sessions, which were held in Arabic and English, were attended by more than 100 female employees from various divisions. The Pink Caravan’s specialised team also conducted medical examinations and provided vouchers for mammograms to the participants.

An educational trip to the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

The Committee organised an educational trip to the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai to inspire its female employees with the success stories of local and global female leaders. The visit aimed to encourage female staff to unleash their creativity to enhance their happiness and consolidate their role in serving the nation in different fields.

Ramadan Women’s Football Tournament

DEWA Women’s team won first place in the Ramadan Women’s Football Tournament, organised by Dubai Sports Council in cooperation with Jam Sports Academy. The team topped the group after maintaining a clean sheet in all games.

Source: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority

DUBAI, A study carried out by the Mohammed bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), in collaboration with Dubai Police and Australia’s Bond University in Queensland, has highlighted the need for mobile phones and smartwatch sanitisation to be included in global infection control protocols for the betterment of public health.

New research indicates that hand hygiene practices are negated if wearable devices remain unsanitised. Smart devices, like mobile phones and smartwatches, are a potential breeding ground for disease-causing pathogens since warm temperatures and high-touch surfaces are ideal conditions for germs to thrive.

Researchers recommend regularly sanitising the smartphone with an alcohol wipe to remove as much bacteria as possible.

Professor Abiola Senok, Chair of Basic Medical Sciences and Professor of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at MBRU’s College of Medicine, commented, “Our phones are never far from our sides; we take them everywhere with us. We all need to regularly clean our mobile phones and smartwatches as much as we do our own hands.”

In this recent scientific study, researchers from MBRU and Dubai Police examined the extent of microbial contamination on smart devices in an emergency medical unit. Samples taken from mobile phones and smartwatches, along with samples of the hands of healthcare workers, were investigated using next-generation metagenomics sequencing technology to enable researchers to identify which organisms are contaminating these devices.

“Our research findings showed that organisms identified from the hands of healthcare workers were also detected on their mobile phones and smartwatches,” said Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Rashed Alghafri, Director of the International Centre for Forensic Sciences in the General Department of Forensic Evidence and Criminology at Dubai Police.

Some microorganisms identified on healthcare workers’ wearable tech were multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Among the randomly selected mobile phones tested, one from the unit’s COVID-19 zone showed positive SARS-CoV-2 detection.

“The presence of these microbes poses a risk of pathogen transfer to patients and the community. Infection control protocols, like mobile phone sanitation, could reduce this risk,” Lieutenant Colonel Dr. Alghafri added.

Dr. Lotti Tajouri, Associate Professor at Bond University in the field of Molecular Genetics and a member of the Dubai Police Scientific Council, said, “Our findings are also important for global public health as organisms on the surface of mobile phones and smartwatches can be carried across international borders by travellers.”

Dr. Tajouri said that sanitation protocols, such as ultraviolet C sanitisation devices in public spaces and airports, should be investigated to mitigate the risk of microbial contamination and dissemination on smart devices.

Collaborative research projects that advance health for humanity are a hallmark of the Dubai Academic Health Corporation (DAHC). Established over a year ago, the DAHC strengthens the bridge between academia, clinicians, and industry to translate research findings into improved patient care.

Source: Emirates News Agency