In support of the “Make a Wish” Charity Foundation

Alpha Events Co. in coordination with The Red Crescent hosted a charity dinner in support of the “Make a Wish” Charity Foundation at the ballroom of Al Murooj Rotana Hotel.

Today “Make a Wish” has established its' presence in 33 countries world wide, including Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The aim of the organization is to grant the one off ‘life’s dream wish’ to children with incurable diseases.

Alpha Events Co. themed the event: “Adults and children together, we can make this world a better place”. Indeed, it was the evening, when young talents and their parents & teachers joined together in order to place a smile on the faces of children with life threatening conditions.

In UAE, the organization works closely with the medical centre for children suffering from talessimia and all the proceeds from the evening will be donated to the cetre.

In this regard, Alpha Events would like to thank all sponsors and patrons alike for their generosity.

List of Sponsors

STORM Associates
Damani
La Coquette
Seewings International
EMDI
Powerhouse
Emirates NBD
Arabian Falcon Holiday
ABOP
Al Shaali & Co (Advocates & Legal Consultants)

List of Patrons

Mr. Mufid Abukishek
Mrs. Mohammed Al Habbai
Mr. Imad Qaddumi
Mrs. S. Qaddumi
Mr. Saeed Sadek
Ms. Safa Sadek
Mr. Abu Nabil
Mrs. Salwa Qaddimi
Miss Assia Djaammaeva
Mr. Antouan
Miss Elena Makacheva
Miss Madina Bachutseva
Mrs. Fatima Khinchagova
Mrs. Nazmiyat Gadjieva
Miss Beatha Wooding
Mr. Ghazi Gashut
Mr. Ablahat
Mrs. Mili Abdul Aziz
Miss Liz Kirwan
Ms. Sue Pengalli
Mr. Waqas E (Jav Int’l)
Mr. Bharat Harpalani
Mr. Graham
Mr. & Mrs. Elalachi
Mr. Ray
Mrs. Sofia
Mr. Greg Pogonowsli
Mr. & Mrs. Nowshir Engineer
Mrs. Bernadette
Mr. Don John
Mrs. Gergana Mineva

All parents of children from dance group “Bravo”

Alpha Events would also like to thank everybody, who made the evening possible and addresses it's special appreciations to Mr. Rashid Khamis & Mr. Mohammed from the Red Crescent Dubai, Miss Khadija Warsaw from “Make a Wish” in Dubai, Mrs. Anna Gorbachova and Mrs. Margarita Kuzmina of Dance Group “Bravo”, Mr. George Abi Habib, Miss. Marouchka, Mrs. Denise Armstrong, Miss Amira, Mr. Adnan Iziter, Miss Daria Fedoseeva, Mrs. Viktoria Belasho, Mr. Guzal’, Vycheslav Kolinko.

Read More......

In support of “UAE Free of Thalassemia by 2012”

du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, held a voluntary blood screening drive for its employees to check against Beta Thalassemia and Sickle Cell diseases. This comes in support of the National Health campaign “UAE Free of Thalassemia by 2012”, under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Nahyan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister for Higher Education and Scientific Research and launched by Dr. Maryam Matar, Executive Director of the UAE Genetic Diseases Association.
The two-day drive was scheduled for 9-10 June to check for genetic blood disorders such as Beta Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia and is intended to increase employee’s awareness on the health risks posed by these blood disorders.

Hala Badri, EVP, Corporate Communications said: “Our commitment to support the government’s effort in the areas of prevention and control of life threatening diseases is one of the key pillars in du’s CSR strategy. We organized the blood screening drive to educate our employees internally about the risks of genetic blood disorders, because we believe that the first step towards achieving this is to start with ourselves. We also want to endorse the enormous efforts the UAE Genetic Diseases Association has put to fight against Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anemia in the country. We are confident that our employees will enthusiastically support this initiative and make it a resounding success.”

Dr. Maryam Matar, Executive Director, Genetic Diseases Association, UAE said: “The UAE Genetic Diseases Association has been able to considerably reduce the impact of common genetic disorders prevalent in the country through its community outreach programs, health education, counseling and free screening tests. We thank the government in supporting and increasing awareness among people, UAEGDA now has a free genetic clinic equipped with a state-of-the-art screening facility supervised by internationally renowned experts”.

“The first program of UAE Genetic Diseases Association is UAE Free of Thalassemia 2012 and as part of this, UAEGDA has introduced new mobile units to facilitate blood collection. We start with this service utilizing these blood screening vans with an exclusive blood screening program being conducted for the employees of du and hope to organize similar programs for the employees of other corporate houses in the UAE to ensure that our future generations are born healthy,” Dr. Matar concluded.

du had issued an internal communication to invite all employees to participate in the screening. The GDA van was stationed in front of Dubai Media City (DMC) Building 14 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm for the two consecutive days.

du employees pre-registered on the association’s website www.uaegda.ae to obtain a confidential user name and password, to be used late to retrieve the tests results once available.

About du

du, the integrated telecom service provider in the UAE, launched mobile telecommunication services on 11 February 2007 across the UAE in addition to internet and pay TV services in some of the free zones of Dubai. Call Select, the first of du's nationwide Fixed line services for voice telephony, was launched in July 2007.

Among du’s many firsts is its historic Number Booking Campaign for both individuals and business, Pay by the Second billing system, Mobile TV, Mobile Payments, first of its kind ‘WoW’ recharge card (which offers customers the choice between more credit and more time) and Self Care. du business offers include Closed Business User Group and preferred International Destinations.

du’s retail network, currently numbering 16 du shops located in strategic locations across all emirates, was launched on 25 February 2007, supporting the delivery of du services to customers.

du is 40 percent owned by the UAE Federal Government, 20 percent by Mubadala Development Company, 20 percent by Emirates Communications & Technology Company LLC and 20 percent by public shareholders. It is listed on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM) and trades under the name du.

du was recognised as the ‘Best Brand’ for its innovative branding and outstanding success at the Telecom World Awards Middle East 2007.

Read More......

Dubai gets new health care plan

From January 10, 2009, all residents of Dubai will compulsorily have to be part of a Health Funding System which will entitle them to affordable basic healthcare within the emirate.
In a major announcement made by the Dubai Health Authority yesterday, Director-General of DHA Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid said the new system will be compulsory for everyone.

As per the new system, employers will contribute the majority of the funding provided through a flat rate to the Health Benefits Contribution (HBC) pool, paid on behalf of their employees. Outpatient Care Practices (OCP) will be at the core of the system and will manage patient care while only authorised insurance companies will distribute health insurance schemes incorporating the new funding system.

Starting January, 2009, everyone residing in the emirate or holding a Dubai residence visa will be required to register himself/herself with public or private outpatient (OP) clinics of their choice (subject to availability). They will then be issued a health card which will give them access to essential healthcare within Dubai only.

Those requiring healthcare facilities in any other emirate, once the system is in place, will have to bear the cost until the Federal Insurance System is in place. Currently, the draft Federal UAE health insurance proposal is under consideration.

The registration process will be carried out by employers after paying an expected contribution of between Dh500 and Dh800 per person towards the HBC pool. This figure will be reviewed annually.

In cases where there is no direct employer, the individual resident of Dubai will be responsible for the payment to HBC for dependants and those they sponsor.

The UAE nationals will continue to receive existing levels of cover and service which means the government will bear all their healthcare expenses./ The entire registration process for Dubai has to be completed within a year. However, the current insurance schemes being held by companies will continue until as and when all Dubai employees/residents are registered.

The Dubai government, during the pilot phase, will provide financial support. It will also pay the contribution to the HBC for its own employees and set aside additional funds in respect of long-term health planning and significant risks.

Basic healthcare services that everyone will be entitled to will include: primary outpatient care, prescription drugs, long-term community care, childhood immunisation, children's dental care, mental health, ambulatory specialist care, non-emergency inpatient care and acute and emergency care.

However, individuals using either own resources or through their employer will be able to buy private "top-up" health insurance. This will not exempt anyone from the obligation to contribute in full to the basic system which will be compulsory.

"The DHADHA transition programme will be introduced over the next four years, completing in 2012, with the DHADHA health funding process fully being implemented by 2015," according to the director general.

The DHADHA, over the past 12 months, has extensively consulted and engaged 700 public and private medical establishments, over 50 insurance companies, liaised with over six Dubai's largest hospitals and visited 10 countries.

Al Murooshid said, "Dubai's population has grown to nearly 1.5 million and continues to expand. Alongside this growth, the rapidly rising cost of healthcare facilities, services and medicines are all driving the demand for more healthcare expenditure."

At present, the DHADHA transition team is working closely with The Executive Council (TEC) on all future financing arrangements. Full details of the new funding system are available on the DHADHA web site (www.dha.gov.ae/healthfunding)

The new Dubai Health Funding system is similar to the Health Insurance Law that Abu Dhabi introduced in 2006. However, unlike the Abu Dhabi system that ensures that all employers and sponsors are responsible for health insurance coverage at all times for their employees and their families, the Dubai system is more employer-friendly. The employer has a choice of offering cover to the employee only.

However, the Dubai funding system has been 'custom-designed' after studying success of similar systems in Australia, New Zealand, Australia, the USA, the Netherlands, Singapore and the UK.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the UAE is ranked 44th in the world in terms of healthcare. While this is comparable to other AGCC countries, the DHADHA aims at developing the system at par with the world's best.

Bahrain has a national public health system that offers free or low-cost healthcare services and treatments to all residents. Saudi Arabia has a national healthcare system in which the government provides healthcare services through a number of government agencies. The quality of healthcare in Kuwait and Oman is considered high and equal to that in western Europe and the USA, except for highly specialised treatment.

/Khaleej Times/

Read More......

Shortage of nurses hits health sector

Shortage of nurses is beginning to tell on the UAE health sector and government hospitals are pushing for more benefits and for the upgrading of the recruitment system to retain the experienced nursing workforce currently available.

The seriousness of the issue can be gauged from hospital statistics. Internationally, the ratio of nurses to patients is set at 1:5, in general, and one nurse to one or two patients at the most for the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of each hospital.

But, this is not the case in the UAE. One hospital in the Al Baraha area of Dubai has a ratio of one nurse to 10 patients, and in the ICU, one nurse to four patients.

The situation has been so for the past few years as more nurses in this region are tempted to proceed to the United States and the European countries reportedly offering family and immigrant visas in lieu of the usual work visas to experienced nurses and their families.

The UAE has been home to nurses from several countries with 40 per cent of them coming from India, followed by Filipinos 30 per cent and the remaining 30 per cent is shared by local nurses and those coming from other Arab countries. Of the 30 per cent, the local nurses comprise mere 4-7 per cent.

Most of them have spent more than three years in the UAE. But, with the current skyrocketing of prices of basic commodities and the spiralling cost of villas and houses, many have opted to leave the UAE and take up jobs in the West.

Mitzel (not her real name), a Filipino nurse who has been working in Al Wasl Hospital for 17 years, told Khaleej Times that she has been witness to the growth of Dubai from a mainly barren municipality to the modern city with skyscrapers all around.

"When I came here, the government provided me free housing and even food. But, nurses lose their accommodation when they marry. Bringing up our children here has become very difficult as everything is expensive, particularly the flats and villas," she lamented.

She has started looking for jobs in the United States, where most Filipino nurses go nowadays because of lucrative offers, including family visas and relocation allowances.

An Indian nurse at Dubai Hospital, who requested anonymity, said she has been working with this hospital for five years. Yet, she has plans to get a job in London as she is feeling the pinch of high cost of living in the UAE.

"If the situation was the same as five years ago, I would stay on. But, it is different now. Everything is getting expensive and the salary raise is not enough to make ends meet in Dubai," she said.

Dr. Mustafa Al Hashim, Director of Al Baraha Hospital, decries the fact that most nurses coming recently to UAE are just making Dubai as the jump-off point to go to western countries.

He said that as of now, the hospital is trying to rotate all doctors and nurses in their duty to make up with the imbalance in the nurse-patient ratio. However, he is pushing for immediate solution to the shortage of nurses in the UAE as the population continues to grow and compulsory insurance is being introduced by the government.

"Previously, people used to go and buy medicines over the counter without a doctor's prescription. But compulsory insurance is changing this trend. Families are turning to hospitals because they know they have insurance coverage," Dr. Al Hashim added.

The Al Baraha Hospital is a 205-bed capacity. It has 200 nurses and 100 doctors yet it is receiving 200 to 300 emergency patients, 10 to 15 new-born babies daily, and around 500 to 800 daily outpatients.

"This number will continue to swell as more insurance-covered workers come to the hospitals and population in this area increases," he said.

The hospitals in the country, including Al Baraha Hospital, have pushed for more benefits, increased salary and improved recruitment system for the nurses. "This is the only way to keep them," he stressed.

Newcomers, many of them without MoH and DoH certificates, are now being accommodated, even though they are on visit visa to narrow the discrepancy. Again, they told Khaleej Times, they just accept this job to get the required overseas experience required of them by hospitals in the West to get better jobs in the US and Europe.

Recognising the shortage of nurses, health officials said several steps have been taken, including allowing nurses on visit visa to take up jobs in the country.

A senior official from the MoH said that the ministry had taken these steps to meet the shortage in both public and private sectors.

"Nurses are permitted to take the nursing examination of the MoH and take up work in the private sector on conditions," said the official.

Among other steps by the MoH to encourage expatriate nurses to join the workforce in the UAE, is reduction of the number of years mandatory to serve at public sector institutes after graduation.

According to the official, at least 43 per cent of the MoH's manpower are nurses. "There were also not enough nurses being supplied by the internal education sector to meet the country's needs, and only four to seven per cent of the country's nurses are nationals," said the official.

He said the shortage of advanced nursing programmes, combined with outdated nursing curricula, have forced many young nursing students to go abroad for their training, which leads to problems as several of them never return.

/Khaleej Times/

Read More......

Dubai bans sale of cigarettes to under 20s

The Gulf emirate of Dubai on Saturday banned the sale of tobacco to anyone under the age of 20 with immediate effect and barred young people from public areas in which smoking is allowed.

The announcement was made in public advertisements in Arabic-language newspapers as part of a "Youth Without Tobacco" campaign.

A spokesman for Dubai municipality told AFP that cigarette vendors and managers of public places such as cafes and restaurants have been instructed to ask clients for proof of identity even to smoke water pipes.

Those breaking the law would be fined, he said without elaborating.

Before Saturday's ban the sale of cigarettes in Dubai was prohibited to anyone under 18 and smokers were not allowed to light up in public places including hotels, restaurants, cafes and offices.

The campaign was launched to coincide with World No Tobacco Day on Saturday.

The World Health Organisation said on Friday that only a total ban on all forms of tobacco advertising can stop the "constantly mutating virus" of the marketing industry and protect vulnerable young people.

Dubai, one of the seven United Arab Emirates, is a regional tourism and business hub that attracts millions of visitors each year.

/AFP/

Read More......

Complete health cover for govt staff in Dubai

The Dubai government yesterday announced a comprehensive health insurance programme for public employees and their dependants.

Government employees, including UAE nationals and expatriates, will now have access to a range of healthcare services and facilities for the first time.

According to a Dubai Health Authority (DHA) official, the scheme would be based on the categories and ranks of the employees.

Commenting on the new scheme, Ahmad bin Byat, Secretary-General of the Executive Council said, “Our employees are our most important asset and their continued good health remains one of our key priorities. Therefore, following the introduction of the new law, the government has made a commitment to providing a comprehensive healthcare cover for all its employees as well as their dependants.” As per directions from the Executive Council, the Human Resources departments of each government entity will be writing to each employee shortly with full details of the new scheme.

The Director-General of DHA, Qadhi Al Murooshid said, “Health is at the forefront of the government’s agenda. The government’s commitment to its own staff is recognition that the health of the nation remains central to the continued and sustained growth of Dubai, both now and into the future.”

In an earlier statement he had said that the DHA was also on schedule to make a full announcement on the health funding proposals later this year.

“Once approved, the health funding proposals will be rolled out and administered by the DHA this year and beyond. It would be premature for me to elaborate on what the final recommendations will contain until the proposals have first been considered by the government. But it will reflect a balance drawn from the consultation programme.”

He also said that the report by the Health Insurance Committee (HIC) had already been completed in December 2007. The report is currently under review by the Dubai government.

The DHA also carried out a consultation and engagement programme that helped formulate the final proposals for the funding programme. During the consultation and engagement programme, the committee held wide-scale discussions with medical establishments, employers, representatives of business and social groups across Dubai, and over 40 of the biggest insurance companies based in the Middle East. The committee also consulted healthcare experts in over 10 countries, and created the international advisory Think Tank comprising five of the world’s leading healthcare economists.

“We have reviewed a number of models and structures, some based on an insurance system, others without it and some involving a variety of different combinations. Either way, there will be significant opportunities for the both the public and private healthcare sectors, as Dubai grows and expands, not only by improving standards and facilities but also by responding to the continuing growth,” he added.

“Health funding and insurance continues to have an important role in the financing of any advanced healthcare system,” he added.

Meanwhile, earlier this year during the Arab Health Conference and Exhibition, officials said establishment of a federal health insurance authority to regulate the industry across the UAE had moved a step further.

Compulsory insurance for residents and visitors of Dubai is in the pilot stages and will be completely in place by the end of 2008, said Al Murooshid.

He said that the HIC had sent its recommendations to the Federal National Council (FNC) for approval and work on the pilot project would start soon while the system would be introduced in phases.

Abu Dhabi has already introduced compulsory health insurance for expats and their dependants. While Dubai will roll out its plan this year, other emirates are expected to follow suit gradually.

Officials pointed out that discussions on the introduction of a federal authority to regulate UAE standards in compulsory health insurance cover and diagnostics had been going on for a number of years, but current developments had gone further. Ministries such as Justice, Labour and Health are being consulted in this regard, they say. Source

Read More......

The Dubai Health Authority launches online community

For the first time in history, the Dubai Health Authority is launching an online community to engage with people from the medical profession, insurers, employers and members of the public to find out what they want from a new healthcare system.
All users on the community will have a genuine chance to shape the future of healthcare in Dubai and make a profound difference.

The creation of the DHA will lead to better health care services and facilities within Dubai to the benefit of all UAE nationals, residents and visitors. The DHA and related Agencies will also enable healthcare services within Dubai to respond more efficiently and effectively to future demands as Dubai continues to grow and expand.

To ensure that the new system delivers a best in class healthcare system, the government wants to engage with the views and opinions of key stakeholders. The DHA Online Community is a ground-breaking vehicle for this engagement process.

The DHA Online Community is a private online interactive site to which a handpicked group of professionals from the insurance, business and medical sectors as well as patients and other members of the public have been invited and are continuously being invited.

About the Dubai Health Authority

The Dubai Health Authority, DHA, was created by a law issued by the ruler of Dubai in June 2007 with a clear remit to ensure that all UAE nationals, residents and everyone living, working and visiting Dubai have access to high quality and affordable healthcare.

Read More......

Dubai to become a hub of world-class medical facilities

Dubai will be made the hub of world-class medical facilities and education within five years, Shaikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, UAE Minister of Finance, and the President of the Dubai Health Authority, said yesterday.

Speaking to the Press after inaugurating the 12th two-day UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition AEEDC 2008 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre, Shaikh Hamdan said, "The UAE government is supporting medical sector, especially in medical education and research. In this regard, we welcome medical experts and companies offering dental technology. We also encourage them to work more towards research."

He also said that AEEDC was bridging the gap between new world technology and Dubai.

"Conferences like AEEDC will also help raise the education levels among the youth in the country," he added.

Over 20,000 doctors from 113 countries are attending the conference while 60 companies from 40 countries are exhibiting their products at AEEDC.

The UAE Minister of Health, Humaid Muhammed Obaied Al Quttami and Director-General of Dubai Health Authority Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid were also present at the opening.

Al Murooshid said, "AEEDC Dubai 2008 will offer value-added opportunities to leading manufacturers and new ventures to explore Dubai, UAE, and Mena markets. Source

Read More......

Food traders face deadline on Arabic labelling rules

Traders importing food for local consumption in Dubai or re-export must comply with new regulations issued by the municipality.

Importers have been given until the end of March to obey the rules, which have been prepared in accordance with the new food quality standards of the Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (Esma).

Products must be labelled in Arabic and any consignments that do not comply with this requirement will be turned back at the ports, a senior official from Dubai Municipality’s Food Control Department told Emirates Business.

“Arabic labelling has been made compulsory for all food products coming to UAE ports for local consumption or re-export,” said the official.

“We have advised all food traders to comply with the Arabic labelling requirement because some products are entering the country without proper labelling.

Traders have to comply with the new guidelines within the first three months of 2008.

“While many traders follow the Arabic labelling requirements, some supermarkets and hypermarkets still display food products without the correct labelling.

“After the three-month notice period such food products will not be allowed entry into the UAE.”

Last August, Esma introduced the Emirates Quality Mark, or Al Alama, which guarantees that products meet UAE, regional and international standards.

The municipality official said health inspectors would be increasing the frequency of their visits to premises of local food companies – especially those producing dairy products and meat – to ensure they comply with Al Alama requirements.

Production and expiration dates have to be printed on the original package or label – writing the dates by hand or putting them on a sticker are prohibited.

The official revealed that 40 health inspectors were stationed at each of Dubai’s ports to ensure food importers and re-exporters complied with the Arabic labelling requirements.

“For meat, poultry or related products, an original Halal certificate issued by an Islamic organisation approved by the UAE Government is required and import consignments without Halal certificate will be detained at the port.

Traders have been advised to register products with the Food Import and Re-Export System, an e-network covering all the areas regulated by the municipality. These include imports, re-export, label approval, health certificates and food destruction applications and certificates.

The numbers

40 health inspectors are being stationed at each of Dubai’s ports to ensure food importers and re-exporters complied with the Arabic labelling requirements. Source

Read More......

High-rise stair climb in Dubai

A high-rise stair climb in Dubai’s iconic tall buildings will be held on February 29. As part of it, participants will scale 55 floors to test both their endurance and fitness.
The ‘Dynamisan High Rise Stair Climb’ was announced by Novartis Consumer Health (NCH) on February 25.
The climb, to be held at the A W Rostamani 21st Century Tower in Dubai, is expected to be rolled out throughout the GCC countries over the coming months.

With the increasing incidence of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in the UAE, this climb aims to showcase the benefits of taking the stairs and getting more physical exercise to combat obesity and help ensure a healthy lifestyle.

Stair climbing is an effective cardiovascular workout and burns twice as many calories as other sporting activities; 15 minutes of stair climbing produces the same results as 30 minutes of running. Climbing up the first 20 flights will be aerobic, after which the climb will intensify becoming an intense anaerobic workout.

Samah ElManzalawy, Dynamisan Brand Manager from Novartis Consumer Health said, “We all work long hours and tend to neglect our health, especially with regards to exercise. We are often too tired to exercise, even though it will give us an energy boost.”

The event is open to everyone. Source

Read More......

New federal laws regulating tobacco and its uses

The Ministry of Health plans to institute a complete ban on shisha and midwakh once the UAE introduces the federal anti-tobacco law, expected to come in by June.
Smoking shisha, or the water pipe, is a popular pastime among Middle Easterners and others who associate the activity with Middle Eastern culture. Midwakh, or the Arabic pipe, is popular among teenagers who have said it gives a more intense high.

The UAE has been working on a federal law regulating tobacco and its uses, content and sale, in accordance with the World Health Organisation (WHO) Framework Convention of Tobacco Control (FCTC).

Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, head of the National Tobacco Control Committee, told Gulf News among other things, the law forbids tobacco use in enclosed areas and public places, without specifying the type of tobacco.

"It does not ban shisha totally, like in Sharjah, the law is very general but maybe we will ask for the ban after the law comes out," she said, adding midwakh has also been targeted.

She said banning the two tobacco products was the best option as regulations requiring content identification and warning signs on the products was not enforceable.

"Warning signs will not work with shisha and midwakh - how do you put a warning, on the pipe? - so a ban is better," she said.

She added the ministry would take the Dubai and Abu Dhabi experience in banning shisha into account.

Dangerous

However, Dr Wedad said the ban would not come in until the ministry had completed their studies into shisha and midwakh-smoking, on their prevalence and effects, in the UAE.

The first study will begin in October, when the UAE embarks on the comprehensive global health survey, in association with the WHO. The survey will include questions on tobacco use in the UAE. Another study in the works is a shisha-specific study, which she said should be conducted within a year.

Recent studies around the world on shisha smoking have found more and more evidence the Middle Eastern pastime is as dangerous, if not more dangerous, as cigarette-smoking.

A French laboratory report in November found one sitting of shisha produced 70 litres of smoke, which had 27 to 102 times the carbon tar in a cigarette, and 15 to 52 times more carbon monoxide, depending on the type of shisha smoked. Source

Read More......

Dubai to have modern cancer centre

Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum received on Monday a delegation from Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute led by Lawrence N. Shulman, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs.

Sheikh Hamdan explored with the US medical delegation prospects of joint health and medical cooperation and exchange of expertise between the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Dana-Farber Institute.

Sheikh Hamdan was briefed by Dr. Shulman on the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Institute with DHA for establishing a modern cancer centre in Dubai.

DHA Director General Ghadi Al Maroushed said following the meeting that the proposed 120-bed centre will be built and equipped within three months at bar with best international practices.

The Dana-farber Institute team will offer technical, administrative and consultancy services and oversee the construction of the centre. The team will also conduct training programmes for national cancer doctors.

''The cancer facility is part of Dubai strategic plan to expand cancer treatment services,''he added. The mission of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is to provide expert, compassionate care to children and adults with cancer while advancing the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, cure, and prevention of cancer and related diseases. As an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and a Comprehensive Cancer Center designated by the National Cancer Institute, the Institute also provides training for new generations of physicians and scientists, designs programs that promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations, and disseminates innovative patient therapies and scientific discoveries to target community across the United States and throughout the world. (WAM)

Read More......

One-patient-one-record data bank on cards

The Ministry of Health is moving towards setting up a central data repository for healthcare that offers one-patient-one-record, said Dr Ajit Nagpal.
“Though the basics have been discussed, a national IT backbone needs to be developed with a robust and versatile health information exchange capability,” he said.

“But even before we actually adopt this system in the UAE, a national law will have to be passed which will be helpful in streamlining policies, infrastructure and connectivity,” added Dr Nagpal.

Describing the role of the repository, he said that public and private healthcare providers will have secured access to patient records, after their authorisation.

“There will be two-fold benefits of this system - it will increase quality of patient care and improved doctor-patient relationship,” said the expert. “There will be two portals established in the system — one accessible to the patient and the other to the healthcare provider,” he said. Source

Read More......

First International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery

About 500 of the world’s leading scientific, industrial and academic experts, including Nobel laureates, have converged at Dubai for the first International Conference on Drug Design and Discovery which began yesterday.

The conference, slated to run till February 7, was opened by Shaikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research.

In his opening speech, Shaikh Nahyan stressed the importance of observing clear ethical standards in drug research, discovery and industry.

“The UAE is pleased to host this international conference, which is being held in the region for the first time. Such a focused international conference to present various disciplines of drug design and discovery is important to the health and wellness of humanity. The UAE remains committed towards advancing the scientific research, as science is a global endeavour,” he said.

Shaikh Nahyan praised the achievements made by the Nobel Laureates in medicine and clinical chemistry. “Thanks to their efforts, cures for diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, diabetes and probably cancer are hopefully in sight. However, we need to harness the benefits of the research and discovery for the welfare of human beings. Everybody should have a quick and global access to the necessary drugs they need,” Shaikh Nahyan said.

The minister called on all scientists working in the field of pharmaceuticals to seize the opportunities by exploiting advances in biotechnology, health informatics and biomedical engineering. “Visionary efforts combined with innovative technologies are needed in pharmaceutical research today. There is an urgent need to address the large gap between supply and demand for affordable and accessible treatment,” he concluded.

Professor Richard Ernst, chairman of organising committee and Nobel laureate, warned pharmaceutical scientists against the transformation of the drug discovery and design into a trade.

“The anticipated danger can be used as a compass so that the scientists can anticipate the consequences of their actions. As the saying goes, science without conscience can ruin the soul. We in the academic community, have to keep the boat of medicine development afloat. We need to remain optimistic because we are all jointly responsible for what we will become,” Prof Ernst maintained.

He pointed to the increasing preference for natural products in the drug discovery. “People from all over the world — Mexico, Africa, Brazil, China, European and Arab countries — are going to the nature to extract and discover the herbal drugs. There are many examples of success stories of biopharmaceuticals. The use of Enbrel has proven to be an effective therapy in chronic inflammation (rheumatoid arthritis),” Prof Ernst explained. Source

Read More......

UAE to be linked to WHO's regional health alert system

The UAE will be linked to a "regional alert system" of the World Health Organisation (WHO) by this year end, a senior official has said.

Co-ordinator of Knowledge Management and Sharing at Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office of WHO Dr Najeeb Al Shorbaji told The Gulf Today that the project would help the country to be part of the immediate reporting system for the region.

"WHO is providing the regional countries with the software and training for the project, which has already been launched as a pilot project in Tunisia. The GCC countries will be linked to it once the Executive Board of the GCC Health Ministers' Council approves it." He said the system will help in reporting disease outbreaks, health facilities, human resources and material resources in the healthcare field along with regular reporting of various diseases.

"The health ministries in respective countries will own the data, which will be hosted by the WHO's server. These data will be available online. However, some specific confidential data will not be accessible to the public," Shorbaji said. (WAM)

Read More......

Arab Health 2008

UAE vice president and prime minister and ruler of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, inaugurated at the Dubai world Trade Centre here today the 34th Arab Health Exhibition.

Read More......

E-health record system to ensure easier access

An electronic health record system will soon be set up in Dubai as an upgrade of Dubai Health Authority’s clinical computing system.
Following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2007 the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) yesterday announced the signing of a contract affiliation agreement with the Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP) in this regard.

The electronic record system will have numerous advantages for both patients and healthcare providers, including easier access to records for medical staff around the emirate.

Patients will also be able to choose facilities from which to obtain medical care.

The DHA and HMFP agreement will initialise strategic framework improvements in clinical computing, such as the expansion of the existing electronic medical record system, the establishment of clinical performance measurements and an internal system initiating the set up of the Joslin Centre Diabetes programme.

The agreement will also provide DHA staff, both medical and administrative, with the opportunity to improve competency levels through continuous training.

Director-General of the DHA, Qadi Al Murooshid, stated: “As part of continuous quality improvement within the DHA, the clinical performance measurements will enable staff and management to continuously monitor quality of healthcare providers and facilities and will be part of the continuous quality improvement of the DHA.

He also said that in response to the UAE being diagnosed with the second highest incidence of diabetes in the world, the DHA will be affiliated with the Joslin Diabetes centre to provide a network of clinics for the provision of diabetes services.

“The partnership of the DHA with Joslin will focus on preventive and curative strategies in diabetes management,” he said. Source

Read More......

World’s biggest health congress this month

The Middle East plays host to the world’s biggest multi-track healthcare congress this month. Arab Health, which takes place at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre from January 28-31, features the world’s most comprehensive conference programme under the banner of the Arab Health Congress.

The congress encompasses 18 internationally accredited conferences in specialised areas of medicine, surgery and healthcare management with over 400 eminent and internationally acclaimed speakers and more than 6,000 delegates, making it the world’s largest such event.

The conferences are accredited by the American Academy of Continuing Medical Education (AACME), recognised in over 96 countries.

The congress sponsor is UAE development company Emaar that has announced a healthcare group that plans to develop and manage over 100 hospitals, clinics and medical centres in the Middle East and North Africa, the Indian subcontinent and South East Asia in the next 10 years.

Dubai Healthcare City is the leading sponsor of the conferences that make up the Congress— including Leaders in Healthcare.

Supported by the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Health, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi and the Dubai Health Authority, the 2008 edition of Arab Health Exhibition will showcase products and services by more than 2500 exhibitors representing over 65 countries.

More than 50,000 healthcare professionals from all over the world are expected to attend.

Congress conferences include molecular imaging, musculoskeletal, laboratory management, surgery, vascular intervention and orthopedics.

“All Arab Health Congress conferences have AACME accredited hours, demonstrating the fact that Arab Health has met the rigorous standards for delivering quality continuing medical education,” said Simon Page, Group Director of Life Sciences at IIR Middle East, organisers of Arab Health. Source

Read More......

New medical law follows Islamic Code of Ethics - Abortion cases could be allowed in U.A.E.

The International Islamic Code of Ethics will be part of the first Liability Law in the UAE, the Minister of Health, Humaid Al Quttami, said yesterday.
Talking to the Press after a seminar held on International Islamic Code of Ethics, the minister said the draft of the law had been passed on to the Federal National Council (FNC) for approval and was expected to be okayed within three months.
The existing medical code of ethics in the UAE was published in 2001, and will now be upgraded before the law comes into effect.

"Following implementation of the law, nurses, pharmacists and other medical cadres will have to respect their jobs and be accountable for what they do," he added.

He said that the International Islamic Code of Ethics will be used as a reference as it has also been approved by the AGCC Ministers of Health.

According to details, the law is a joint effort of Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ministry of Justice and is aimed at protecting both the patients and medical providers.

The law will tackle findings based on the complaints received by the Medical Liability Department and the investigations carried out by the department.

It will also list 20 such cases of malpractice which hospitals will have to compulsorily report to the MoH while addressing technical and medical aspects only.

Dr Basil Abdul Jabbar, consultant and head of Medical Liability Department at the MoH, said, "The code is being addressed in three parts. The first covers the responsibilities of medical staff. The second will address special subjects (such as brain dead patients, and abortion options), while the third pertains to licensing and regulations."

He added: "There are some issues such as brain dead and euthanasia, which are contested even among medical experts. We'll use parts of the Islamic Code of Conduct to guide us on these issues," he explained.

Dr Ali Shukr, under-secretary at the MoH, however, explained that abortion cases in the UAE could be allowed within 120 days of the pregnancy in case a foetus develops congenital deformities.

"After 120 days of the pregnancy, abortion is legal only if the mother's life is in danger," he pointed out. Source

Read More......

Dubai Healthcare City Opens Doors to Alternative Medicine Therapy

Dubai Healthcare City, member of Tatweer, today announced it has set up a high profile Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Council, the first of its kind in the Middle East.

The council set up by DHCC's Center for Planning and Quality (CPQ) will be led by prominent alternative medicine practitioners, responsible for licensing CAM professionals under specific rules and regulations as well as its other regulatory functions.
Ahmad Sharaf, Senior Vice President, Healthcare and Energy, Tatweer, said: "In its endeavour to offer world-class healthcare services, DHCC has opened its doors to alternative medicine therapy, which is gaining wide acceptance worldwide. With this, DHCC further reiterates its commitment to provide a balanced combination of traditional and modern medicine while catering to a larger segment of the community." CAM considers health a harmonious balancing of the mind and body. It is a holistic approach to healing that deals with the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person in totality. According to the World Health Organization, interest in CAM has grown considerably in many developed countries during the last decade. Its phenomenal global impact has prompted several major universities worldwide to set up alternative medicine educational centers.
Dr. Muhadditha Al-Hashimi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City, said: "The establishment of the Complementary & Alternative Medicine Council is our response to global trends, reflecting the growing popularity of alternative medicine and traditional practices." The council also demonstrates DHCC's efforts to operate on the global level as an efficient and leading market player. Source

Read More......