Crown Prince Sultan in his letter to the [...]]]>

Saudi Health Minister, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah and his team of healthcare employees were congratulated by Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdul-Aziz, deputy premier and minister of aviation and defense and general inspector on the publication of its annual report that reflected the “outstanding effort” of Saudi healthcare staff members.

Crown Prince Sultan in his letter to the health minister, praying to Almighty Allah for blessing in a continuous way the development of health services mentioned that “We thank you and the employees of the Ministry of Health for your outstanding efforts to improve healthcare services in the Kingdom,”

According to the responding of Crown Prince’s letter, Al-Rabeeah attributed his thanks and gratitude to the Saudi leaders for their generosity to the healthcare personnel. He also noted that there is a book pointing out the most prominent indicators of public health conditions and the improvement of health resources, activities and services offered by the ministry.

The minister reported “It has also outlined the multifarious developments in the health sector during the past two years; the book clearly enumerated the statistical details of the various regions and governorates in the Kingdom, especially with regard to the significant decline in the number of infectious diseases due to the successful immunization campaign carried out throughout the Kingdom.”

In addition, the minister mentioned that there was a remarkable improvement of services in the health sections in all fields. The number of hospitals was raised to 244 from 225, up by 8.4 %, and the total number of beds was raised from 31,240 to 33,277 beds — a 5.9 % raise. Now, the Health Ministry cadre involves 25,832 physicians, 1,654 pharmacists, 63,297 nurses and 32,360 technicians. The number of health staff members, involving medics and paramedics, was recorded at 123,643 against 101,789, a raise of 21%.

According to recent scheme presented by the ministry, patients need not to travel from area to area in order to  search for better medical healthcare but in rare circumstances  the facilities and the needed health professionals are permissible in all areas. Saudi minister of health explained the vision of the ministry which is: delivering comprehensive healthcare at person, family and society level, aiding the elderly and those who are incapable, preserving services in quantity and quality.

Moreover, the ministry has added four specialized centers for curing AIDS patients in Asir, Madinah, Al-Jouf and Ahsa. It has also constructed twenty consultative optional clinics to individuals that are going to check AIDS in a confident way. Besides fifty- five centers for diagnosing TB have been constructed and other thirty- five centers are predicted to be added in the future.

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Accordingly, this new Center will provide world-class medical care for local residents in Al Ain and the surrounding region from the middle of next year.

The Center is founded on the [...]]]>

Mubadala Healthcare announced plans to expand the existing services of Imperial College London Diabetes Center (ICLDC) through the establishment of a second facility in Al Ain.

Accordingly, this new Center will provide world-class medical care for local residents in Al Ain and the surrounding region from the middle of next year.

The Center is founded on the four pillars of treatment, training, public health and research, and provides the highest level of specialized and comprehensive patient care – from first diagnosis to the management of all the complications associated with diabetes. The expansion of services into Al Ain will be an extension of the same model of care.

The International Diabetes Federation has estimated that 18.7% of the UAE population is living with Diabetes and according to the Centre’s figures, an average of 15% of their patients reside outside Abu Dhabi in Al Ain.

“It is testament to the excellent work carried out at the Centre over the past four years that we are now able to replicate the same model of care for patients living outside the capital. I am delighted to build upon our partnership with Imperial College London with a second facility and improve access to world-class healthcare in the region,” said Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, Associate Director of Mubadala Healthcare and Chairman of ICLDC.

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At the festival AHS showcased, Mobile Clinic Solutions (MCS) services and [...]]]>

Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS) participated at Zayed Higher Organization Special Olympics event using Mobile Clinic Solutions to support the event. The Special Olympics program, conducted under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Rawdah Bint Zayed Al Nahyan runs from May 13th 2010 to May 15th, 2010.

At the festival AHS showcased, Mobile Clinic Solutions (MCS) services and facilities, even providing medical check-ups for interested visitors. Mobile Clinic Solutions (MCS) is the first-of-its-kind mobile healthcare clinic in the Middle East, equipped to deliver comprehensive medical consultation, examination, screening, vaccination, general dental care and health advice to patients in remote areas, at schools or at events such as the Special Olympics.

Dr. John Evangelista, Director of Ambulatory Healthcare Services, says, AHS participation in this festival promotes our slogan Healthy family. Healthy community and special needs people are an integral part of the community.
Moreover, this festival demonstrates the considerable abilities of people with disabilities and educates people about their strengths, thereby helping integrate them with non-disabled people in society. I would like to thank the Zayed Higher Organization for Humanitarian Care for giving us the opportunity to provide our unique health care services provided by the Mobile Clinic Solutions to the festivals visitors.”

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Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of the DHA is well aware of the importance of nurses in the health sector and felicitates them for their contribution. At the DHA, we are proud to have excellent talent-pool [...]]]>

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) celebrated International Nurses Day on the Wednesday, May 12, at the DHA medical library.

Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of the DHA is well aware of the importance of nurses in the health sector and felicitates them for their contribution. At the DHA, we are proud to have excellent talent-pool and we always provide our staff with continuous training opportunities to further enhance their skills. Nurses are in many ways the backbone of the healthcare system and they contribute greatly to the betterment of healthcare services.”

He highlighted that recently the DHA hospitals to complete a one year midwifery course. “We are proud to mention that 23 of our nurses completed the first midwifery course in the UAE and are positively contributing to the development of this specialized nursing field.”

This year, the United Nations (UN) declared 2010 to be the International Year of the Nurse and the theme is – Nurses leading the fight against chronic diseases with a vision towards UN millennium development goals.

Based on this theme, the conference held many lectures and Dr. Zakaria Zaki Al Attal, Director of Quality & Performance Management, Hospitals Services Sector at the DHA highlighted the importance of sustaining and improving the quality of service that nurses provide their patients. He stressed on the importance of training to ensure nurses were constantly updated with the latest developments in their field.

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Dr Rolf Ulrich Hartung, Associate [...]]]>

The Healthcare Technology Applications conference to be held from 2 – 3 of June 2010, during the Hospital Build Middle East Exhibition & Congress, will discuss the latest information on how to use technologies to lower healthcare delivery costs, improve efficiencies in hospitals, reduce medical errors and streamline the patient’s experience.

Dr Rolf Ulrich Hartung, Associate Professor of Surgery at the Dubai Medical College, will explain how integrated technology applications such as ‘Patchless Controlled Technology (PCT)’ will enhance surgery management in the operating room (OR).

“PCT is a system that controls all technological equipment in the OR without touching it,” he explains. “The first of this kind of technology was the voice controlled technology such as the AEsop system and later on, the Hermes. The new PCT technology does not rely on voice but on movements of the hands and/or face and eyes. This seems to be much more reliable than the voice.”

Dr Hartung believes this technology can improve surgery in many ways. As well as improving control of all equipment necessary for surgery such as light source, electrocautery, air insufflators, irrigation pumps etc, it also reduces the workload of the nurses. He says it also gives the opportunity for perfect communication and documentation and the surgeon can review previous steps taken during the procedure and can even involve mentors without the need to leave the operation.

While the PTC technology currently only exists in prototype-form in Middle East, it will be made available soon. “In the Middle East the acceptance of new technology is extremely good. Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world and acceptance and support of changes and rapid development are key characteristics of the region,” says Dr Hartung.

“Technology is advancing very fast and the development of new technology has made minimally invasive surgery possible. Surgeons strive to decrease the trauma of any operation to the minimum and therefore new technology is needed. It is also our aim to improve the safety and quality of care and this is specifically important for surgical procedures. Everybody interested in development of hospitals, health care, technology, administration of modern health care systems and of course surgeons should attend the Healthcare Technology Application conference at Hospital Build 2010, as they have to be part of this development. Without acceptance from the end-user, new technology cannot be implemented.”

The Hospital Build Middle East Exhibition & Congress, an event organised by IIR Middle East Life Sciences Division, will run from 1 – 3 June 2010, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. The event will bring investors, commissioners, backers and managers of major healthcare building projects together with planning, design, building, operations, management and refurbishment suppliers.

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“Vitamin D [...]]]>

During the “Optimizing Osteoporosis Treatment” Speaker Tour in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, osteoporosis experts issued a public warning that vitamin D insufficiency is ‘endemic’ in the UAE, due to lack of exposure to sunlight and changes in diet, which leads to an increased risk of the debilitating bone disease osteoporosis and associated bone fractures.

“Vitamin D insufficiency is endemic across the UAE and the Gulf, almost everyone who walks into my clinic suffers from it. Out of 1,000 patients on my list only eight patients have normal levels of vitamin D, underscoring the fact that this is an important issue that needs to be urgently addressed,” revealed Dr. Al Shehhi, Head of Rheumatology at Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, chair of the Dubai meeting.

“Insufficiency in vitamin D is an important issue and one of the major causes of osteomalacia (soft bones) and osteoporosis (fragile bones) both here and across the world. Osteoporosis increases the risk of bone fracture that can severely affect people’s mobility, which often means they require hospitalization and nursing care after discharge, adding extra costs to the healthcare system,” added Dr. Mustafa Al Izzi, Head of the Rheumatology Unit at Zayed Military Hospital, Abu Dhabi, chair of the Abu Dhabi meeting.

Vitamin D is essential for bone health as it assists in the absorption of calcium in the body, without which the bones become less dense and fracture easily. Many people do not know they have osteoporosis until they suffer a fracture and undergo a Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) scan to check their bone density.

In the UAE, insufficiency in vitamin D within the local population has become more prevalent in the recent years due to lifestyle changes, which mean Emirati men and women spend less time in the sun and eat fewer foods rich in vitamin D, such as fish and eggs, and calcium which is most commonly consumed in milk.

“Now Emiratis spend very little time in the sun, preferring to be inside their homes or shopping malls where the windows prevent penetration of ultraviolet rays. Drinking milk on a daily basis is also much less common than it used to be, adding to the problem of vitamin D insufficiency and poor bone health,” commented Dr. Al Suhaili who is also Chairman of the Emirates Osteoporosis Society (EOS).

Delegates attending the presentation heard that treating osteoporosis involves boosting absorption of calcium by the bones using bisphosphonate drugs, which are either taken weekly or monthly orally. However, a new medication, zoledronic acid (Aclasta), which is given via an infusion, only needs to be administered once a year, so helping to improve medication compliance.

Professor Eriksen explained: “The fact that Aclasta is given as a once yearly infusion is appreciated as very convenient by patients. I have personally given this drug to around 300 patients, and find this treatment effective and safe. The reduction in fractures, which is seen after treatment with Aclasta is the most pronounced seen with any bisphosphonate.”

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A high-level committee has been set up in this regard and is headed by Khalid Al Shaikh Mubarak, CEO of Shared Support Services Sector at the [...]]]>

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) is leading a comprehensive study to evaluate the most feasible options for the private sector to take on a
substantial role in health and healthcare management.

A high-level committee has been set up in this regard and is headed by Khalid Al Shaikh Mubarak, CEO of Shared Support Services Sector at the authority.

This committee will explore the role of the private sector in the delivery of health services such as emergency and trauma services.

“It is imperative that we thoroughly evaluate all the parameters to decide the best possible model which suits our needs and helps provide excellent healthcare services to our main stakeholder- our patients.”

Al Shaikh Mubarak said, “PPP has been a successful model globally and has become an emerging trend over the last few years.”

DHA is working with Pricewaterhouse Coopers’ Dubai office, a reputed consulting firm which has extensive experience in this field in the Gulf region and globally.

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