MEDICS ALARMED BY PARENTS’ NEGLECT OF SICK CHILDREN IN NEED OF TREATMENT
▶ Child Protection Law lecture hears of need for better awareness and education among parents and professionals
Doctors have expressed concern over the failure of some parents to ensure their sick children get medical treatment.
Medical staff said they had seen cases where such negligence or lack of awareness is putting young people at risk.
They were speaking at a lecture in Fujairah to educate teachers, medics and others about the Child Protection Law, which was introduced last year.
The law covers a range of issues. It compels everyone to report the physical, emotional or sexual abuse of a youngster, and ensures parents send their children to school and provide medical care.
“I’ve witnessed cases in which parents neglect their children with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, and failed to provide their children with the medicine they need,” said Dr Mohammed Al Qasim, a paediatrician at Fujairah Hospital. “And this is now an act punishable by law.
“One of the cases involves a diabetic 12-year-old girl, who was the youngest daughter to an elderly couple who couldn’t provide her with the medical care she needed.
“They failed to give her the insulin shots on time. Such cases should be considered child neglect, especially given it might affect the child’s life.”
Dr Al Qasim said education and medical personnel were best placed to identify breaches of the law, although he and many others are unsure of how to report what they see.
“Such cases can be observed here, but it’s not quite clear where to go and to whom we need to report a child neglect case,” he said.
Causing a child harm by failing to provide proper treatment can result in a jail sentence.
Nadia Al Kautbi is head of social services at a school in Fujairah and said that, although child abuse cases were relatively rare, parenting abilities varied considerably.
“We’ve dealt with parents unaware of certain health problems,” Ms Al Kautbi said. “Their children are suffering from head lice, for example, and it goes unnoticed by parents due to the lack of supervision.
“Others have problems in finishing their homework at home, which is also considered a form of negligence.”
She said that it was important to teach parents and children their rights and responsibilities.
“We arrange awareness lectures every three months at the school, but it’s not enough – and it only reaches a small number of parents and most of them are mothers,” Ms Al Kautbi said.
“Fathers should also be familiar with the law as they also play a major role in raising the children. There should be other ways to reach them.”
She said a degree of judgment was used when dealing with cases.
“We try to deal with negligence cases by speaking with the parents and observing the situation, and if that doesn’t work then we report the case,” Ms Al Kautbi said.
She suggested using social media, television and mobile messages to make people think about raising children.
“Using different channels to educate people about the law is important. It will help protect children and prevent them from being victims of harmful acts.”
The drowning in September of four young boys at an Abu Dhabi farm and the death in June of two young sisters who suffocated in their father’s car in the afternoon heat has highlighted the need for better supervision of children.
Capt Ahmed Al Hashimi, head of the community support unit at Fujairah Police, urged adults who witnessed abuse or negligence to talk to police.
“It’s everyone’s duty to protect children from any act that could harm their physical and mental health and well-being,” Capt Al Hashimi said.
“Any person can report an incident related to children, including in secrecy if they don’t want to be involved in the case. The whole purpose is to protect the child, and this is what we’re focused on.
“We ask people to spread the word and share what they know about the child law with their family, friends and relatives. We are doing our best, but it’s not easy to reach all the members of the community.
“Therefore, we ask them to collaborate and help in protecting our children.”
They failed to give a girl, 12, the insulin shots on time. Such cases should be considered child neglect
DR MOHAMMED AL QASIM Paediatrician at Fujairah Hospital