Curative Medicine Undersecretary Assistant, Dr. Ageel Al Gamdi, launched Mother and Child Health Passport under the sponsorship of Dr. Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Rabeeah, the Minister of Health. The event took place in AL Faisalyah Hotel- Prince Sultan Hall, at 14/7/2010.
DR. Ageel Al Gamdi declared that Health Passport aims to observe the medical health of the mother and child to reduce morbidity and mortality rates during pregnancy and child development stages. This program cooperates with Health Centers Department and Health Awareness and Information Department where contributes in early diagnoses, finding suitable treatments, prevent complications resulted from bad habits during pregnancy, which may cause deformities of embryos or genetic defects, ensure child health check-ups according to world health organizations recommendations to get sure of body systems and organs health of the child, work on prevention and early detection of any defect that might affect the child and thus early treatment with specialized authorities.
The Health Passport is divided into two parts: first part is concerned in maternity follow-up, mother's basic health information and precise description of current and previous pregnancy information. In addition to medical, surgical and family history of different diseases, that can affect the health of mother and child. It also includes pregnancy stages chart to determine if the mother is in a dangerous condition and what are the procedures needed to be taken. Maternal Follow-up Card includes health awareness messages during all pregnancy stages and birth.
The second part of the Passport is for the child, where it includes the child's information, family health history, health problems which may occur in order to take preventative procedures and basic health information (growth measurement, vaccinations, nutrition, senses and clinical examinations).
Dr. AL Gamdi added that Health Passport includes body growth charts (weight, height, head circumference) for children until 5 years old, child's physical development follow up in deferent stages (controlling body movement, speech, hearing, eyesight, social behavior), vaccinations time tables and international health recommendations for child preventative procedures during growth stages. These procedures are being observed based on child age stages according to world health organizations recommendations, which represent health history, child growth stages, blood pressure, behavioral development measurements, physical examinations, laboratory tests, vaccinations, health awareness and teeth examinations.