Abu dhabi: The Abu Dhabi Early Childhood Authority (ECA), in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre (ADPHC) and Khalifa University, celebrated the achievements of 18 hospitals across Abu Dhabi for their role in implementing the Emirate's first population-based maternal and infant health monitoring programme.
According to Emirates News Agency, the programme, launched in 2023, aims to transform maternal and child healthcare by integrating behavioural, social, economic, and clinical data to comprehensively monitor the pregnancy and postnatal journeys of mothers and infants. It serves as a foundation for evidence-based policymaking and proactive health interventions across the Emirate.
The hospitals recognised include Corniche Hospital, Danat Al Emarat Hospital, Mediclinic Airport Road Hospital, Madinat Zayed Hospital, Kanad Hospital, Tawam Hospital, Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, NMC Royal Women's Hospital LTD, Burjeel Hospital LLC, NMC Specialty Hospital LTD - Abu Dhabi, Mediclinic Al Jowhara Hospital, Mediclinic Al Noor Hospital, NMC Royal Hospital LTD Khalifa City, NMC Royal Hospital LTD MBZ City, LLH Hospital Al Musaffah, LLH Hospital - Musrief, Medeor 24x7 Hospital, and Burjeel Medical City.
Dr. Yousef Al Hammadi, Executive Director of Knowledge and Impact at ECA, stated that the programme captures the lived experiences of mothers and provides insights into pregnancy journeys affecting maternal and child health. This understanding helps tailor support and care for families across the community.
Dr. Rashed Obaid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of ADPHC, highlighted that the initiative reflects Abu Dhabi's commitment to building a prevention-focused public health ecosystem. The programme uses real-time data to understand the factors influencing maternal and child health and designs interventions that are timely and equitable.
The monitoring programme aims to generate insights to improve health outcomes, focusing on breastfeeding rates, maternal nutrition, mental health, birth weight, and addressing social determinants of health to enable proactive interventions. Initially piloted in 2023 at four hospitals, the initiative expanded to 18 hospitals by mid-2025, with over 3,417 mothers participating to date.