Take better care of your health

Readers call for health awareness drives. Other topics: savings, United Nations, food

Health education and awareness can help prevent many diseases, readers say. Silvia Razgova / The National

It's sad that many people are not even interested in basic health education and information, which can prevent many health problems and diseases (Doctors alarmed at lack of basic health knowledge, February 7). But don't forget that the majority of workers come here from very poor and undeveloped parts of the world.

Ivana Jesic, Dubai

Even many doctors have very limited knowledge and experience. I’ve seen too many of them over the past 10 years and I trust only one.

Maha Abdellatif Ben Achour, Abu Dhabi

Concern over mis-selling

In reference to the article The Money Roundtable: Do long-term savings products serve their customers or their sellers? (February 7), I think that this is definitely a valid conversation.

In my opinion the products are not the issue. It’s about the selling of them by unregulated, commission-hungry advisers, who do not sufficiently describe the product features.

If they explained the fees and potential pitfalls of early encashment, then most clients would substantially reduce the amount they were willing to commit to this kind of plan in order to ensure that it remained affordable and practical.

There are more appropriate ways to save short- to medium-term cash, such as offshore bank accounts / platforms that can be accessed without penalty and do not carry the burden of commission.

However, without commission, who can spend the time needed to set these up and turn a profit? In the Uited Kingdom, the abolition of commission has created an advice “gap”, where advisers cannot afford to spend the time to help savers begin their journey, as any upfront fee charged to the client is not available. (If a client has not saved until this point, the likelihood is that he won’t have funds to pay the adviser for his time in setting the plan up).

More transparency and a more holistic/ diverse use of other (more liquid) products, alongside the regular savings plans, would be a good start.

James F, Dubai

UN needs to reinvent itself

Regarding the opinion article The world will miss western liberal intervention (February 7), I think this all points to the need for the United Nations to reinvent itself.

It alone should be empowered to act as the world’s policeman, but it is ineffective in that role. Its resolutions are largely ignored (which led, I believe, to the invasion of Iraq).

It is a toothless tiger and its member nations need to do something about that.

As for Britain’s disavowal of liberal intervention, I think Theresa May is right. Why waste British lives and British money intervening in places such as Syria, where no one seems to be able to identify the morally just side to support, and where no one knows what “success” looks like?

After the mistakes of Iraq and Afghanistan, sitting back and taking stock is the right thing to do – for the United States, as well as Britain.

Name withheld by request

Why pay Dh495 for a burger?

Why would anyone pay Dh495 for a burger or Dh3,676 for a cupcake (10 of the UAE's most expensive dishes, February 8)? Could it be just for bragging? Why not share that money with the poor and hard working people on the streets?

Sheryl Gardner, US

It’ll be even more expensive when VAT is introduced. Only a fool will part with his money so easily.

Kim Marsh, Dubai

I can’t believe there are still people out there who will pay for such things.

Zayed Noor, Abu Dhabi