• As part of SEHA’s psychological support program designed for the community amidst COVID-19, the network reiterates the need to ignore fake news   • Consultant psychiatrist shares tips to help the community overcome adverse circumstances, become a positive influence, assist senior citizens and benefit from extra time   Abu Dhabi, 20September 2020:  In line with its SEHA’s psychological support program, Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), the UAE’s largest healthcare network is urging the community to embrace a healthy lifestyle amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic by following a balanced diet, drinking sufficient water, exercising, and sleeping adequately to maintain overall health, including mental wellbeing.   Dr. Anne Elzein Omara, Consultant Psychiatrist, Al ......read more

The Seniors’ Happiness Centre’s Alzheimer’s support group to hold awareness event on the occasion of World Alzheimer’s day 2020    Dubai, UAE, September 20, 2020:  In light of World Alzheimer’s day, the Director of Dubai Health Authority’s (DHA) Seniors’ Happiness Centre stressed the importance of setting a daily routine for all elders, especially those with Alzheimer’s, during COVID-19 to prevent depression amongst them.  Dr Salwa Al Suwaidi, the Director of Seniors’ Happiness Centre said that among the challenges she noticed was that elders with mild cognitive impairment started having early onset of dementia and depression because of the movement and social restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. “Elders with mild cognitive impairment were ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 17 September, 2020: Latifa Hospital for Women and Children revealed that it’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which is the largest NICU in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, admitted 1058 babies in 2019, compared to 967 in 2018. Out of the 1058 admissions in the NICU, 31 per cent (329) were preterm babies, in addition to almost 10 per cent (96 babies) with low birth weight due to Intrauterine Growth Retardation. Dr Mahmoud Saleh El Halik, Consultant Neonatologist and Head of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Latifa Hospital revealed that in 2019, the NICU received 11 babies below 500 grams; adding that the smallest was 420 grams.  The hospital has an average of 4000 deliveries per year. The NICU has a highly experienced team that provides care and management for extremely ......read more

• A sixty-eight-year-old Indian man undergoes rare life saving procedure after 90% arterial calcified blockage • Intravascular lithotripsy opens the door for some difficult heart cases with a safer device as compared to other artery drilling services in the UAE   United Arab Emirates,  September 16, 2020:  A 68-year-old Indian man suffered a severe heart attack on early this September.  After being rushed to a nearby hospital, the doctors discovered a 90% arterial blockage and recommended coronary bypass surgery.  However due to his comorbidities the doctors declined angioplasty as deemed too risky in their opinion.    The patient was transferred to Al Zahra Hospital Dubai where the Cardiology team assess the patient and concluded that he can be managed equally well ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 15th September 2020:  The UAE’s use of Artificial Intelligence has accelerated in the healthcare and education sectors due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Europe’s leading international news channel, Euronews, spoke to leaders in healthcare and education to discover the positives and negatives that AI use has had within these sectors, and what this means for the future in AI tech in the Middle East.  Speaking to Euronews at one of the largest dedicated AI events in the world, AI Everything, Omar Bin Sultan Al Olama, Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence, United Arab Emirates said: “The issue with the pandemic, is that it's a moving target - it spreads very fast. There's a lot of touch points so you can't really, have people go and sift through all of the data to ......read more

Dubai, September 16, 2020:  Medcare Hospitals & Medical Centres, the UAE’s premium healthcare provider, has signed an agreement with InterSystems, a creative data technology provider dedicated to helping customers solve the most critical scalability, interoperability, and speed problems, to implement InterSystems TrakCare® unified healthcare information system across all its four hospitals and 15 medical centres in Dubai and Sharjah. The implementation reinforces Medcare’s commitment to providing the most advanced healthcare services in the region. Investing in TrakCare offers the solution of a secure, electronic medical record that will give easy, quick and unified access to information about any of its patients to authorized clinicians. Deployed in the cloud, the TrakCare Electronic Medical Record System ......read more

4,351 chronically ill residents were identified as candidates for sustainable care model  Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. 15 September 2020:   Following on the success of the remote care program launch in partnership with Abu Dhabi Public Health Center and Department of Health to manage COVID-19 patients in home isolation, Mubadala Healthcare providers have collaborated to develop a sustainable remote healthcare program for patients with chronic illnesses who are aged 60 and above.    It has been estimated that there are over 12,000 elderly patients across the emirate of Abu Dhabi who suffer from heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic illnesses. This segment of the community would benefit from the convenience of the remote program and the safety it offers during the pandemic in the form of ......read more

The “Wellcome Mat” Is Ready to Protect the Homes of UAE Residents, and The World!   United Arab Emirates,  September 14, 2020:  In the last couple of months, life seems to have taken a wild spin towards uncertain terrain for most citizens of the world. With the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, normality has been challenged more than ever before, making us put large question marks on things that would have otherwise been unchallenged parts of our daily routines. Our perception of hygiene, germs, and bacteria has since heightened causing people to think twice and thrice about how germs can find their way into their homes. It was this very thought process, that fueled UAE residents Bassam F., his daughter Maya F, and their cofounder Abdul Aziz E. to create the  innovative concept of the Wellcome ......read more

• First-of-its-kind Dubai study on the trends and incidence of seasonal influenza. • Almost 30,000 samples studied. • According to the study, almost half of the total seasonal influenza cases were among students less than ten years of age in Dubai.  • Public health specialists advocate the need to get the seasonal flu vaccine, especially in light of COVID-19 and especially for high-risk individuals.    Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 14 September 2020:  The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) announced today the results of the 2017 to 2019 study on influenza incidence and trends in Dubai.   The results were discussed during a webinar organized by the authority to discuss seasonal influenza in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar was moderated by Dr. Hamid Yahya ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 13 September, 2020: Dubai Health Authority discusses the importance of reiterating certain basic precautionary measures to empower school-going children and the need for families to adopt a sanitization routine once children return home from school.     Dr Hend Al Awadhi, Head of Health Promotion and Education Section in the Dubai Health Authority's (DHA) Public Health Protection Department says that while school-going kids would have settled into the new normal, it is important to speak with children regularly so that parents can notice if the child has settled in or is experiencing any uneasiness or anxiety.   She also emphasised the importance of health tips that parents should keep reminding their children of regularly.   Do and don’ts at ......read more

United Arab Emirates,  09 September 2020:  Flu is the most common infectious disease that millions of people worldwide get infected each year. While most of them recover within a week, an unfortunate lose their life to the seasonal flu virus. The flu is a respiratory infection that can affect anyone across any age, causing mild to severe symptoms. The most common symptoms of the flu include fever, body aches, runny nose, coughing, sore throat, fatigue.  According to Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Abdelaal, Consultant – Pediatrics at Burjeel Hospital Abu Dhabi, the change of season makes it all the more vulnerable for people to catch the flu among many other reasons. Dr.Ahmed says that people come into contact with viruses and bacteria all the time. But during the cold and flu season, catching a cold or the flu occurs more ......read more

FITNESS 4 EVERYBODY TO KICK OFF ON 17-20 SEPTEMBER   United Arab Emirates,  September 09, 2020:  The UAE is set for 4 days of free fitness on 17-20 September, as the region’s fitness industry unites in a unique campaign to provide Fitness 4 EveryBody, making fitness more accessible and encouraging UAE residents to make health and wellbeing their top priority in the wake of the pandemic. In the first activation of its kind, the Fitness 4 EveryBody initiative will see more than 20 influential fitness providers offering free access or free classes (online and in-person) at over 60 locations across the UAE for the 4-day event. Organized with the support of Dubai Sports Council, participating fitness providers include Fitness First, GymNation, Gold’s Gym, Fitness 360, MetroFitt, The Platform Studios, ......read more

• The rehabilitation department provides physical, occupational, and speech-language pathology treatments • Al Ain Hospital has worked tirelessly to implement robust safety measures and processes that keep you and your families protected, maintaining the outstanding standards we are known for.   Abu Dhabi, September 09  2020:  Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) has reopened the rehabilitation department in Al Ain Hospital, resuming the provision of world class medical care to its patients. The rehabilitation department, which is located in a building separate from the main hospital facility, provides specialized services including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology.     Sumaya Al Hammadi, Director of the Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Center, Al ......read more

• Procedure was carried out in Rashid Hospital using a minimally-invasive technique.  • Patient was discharged three days after the procedure was performed successfully.  • Patient says she hoped to receive treatment in Dubai after her husband’s life saving cardiac procedure was also performed in Rashid Hospital three years ago.  • The Portuguese couple have been visiting Dubai annually for the last twenty years and have thanked the Emirate’s healthcare system for the provision of high-quality healthcare.     Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 9 September, 2020:  Maria Madalena, an 80-year-old Portuguese tourist who has been visiting Dubai yearly with her husband and family for the last twenty years, did not expect to get diagnosed with cancer while on ......read more

Survey of UAE Frontline Professionals Identifies Top Five Themes for Frontline Hero Support and Recognition Abu Dhabi, 07 September 2020: The Frontline Heroes Office has established a comprehensive national database of over 80,000 frontline professionals and volunteers actively protecting the UAE and its residents in the fight against COVID-19. The new registry is a significant milestone in an initiative to care for and champion those who put themselves on the frontline in service to the people of the UAE.  The registry provides a detailed national picture of all those who serve on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19, to not only recognize and champion their commitment to public service but also to support their ongoing well-being through enabling the design and provision of a wide range of targeted support ......read more

• The Dubai Medical Specialties Training Program currently offers 14 medical specialities.   • The new training specialities will include acute care, endocrinology and metabolism fellowship among others.    • So far, 432 doctors working in various medical specialties at DHA have graduated from the program in the past years while 415 resident doctors are currently pursuing their specializations.   • The duration of the program varies between four to six years based on the selected speciality    • The program helps ensure the provision of highly specialised medical professionals in the Emirate who serve the health system in Dubai with an aim to provide the community with the highest quality of medical services.     Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ......read more

•         Family friendly hospital strengthens patient services. Offers faster insurance approvals, stronger telehealth services, medicine delivery and much more. •         The healthcare destination features amenities such as a multi-restaurant food court, coffee shops, therapeutic garden, health club and movie theatre, while a Marhaba Lounge provides premium, personalised fast-track services for patients. •         State-of-the-art 350-bed private hospital has remained COVID-free from the start of the pandemic  United Arab Emirates,  September 08, 2020:  Thumbay University Hospital, Ajman - the family-friendly healthcare destination - has announced that it has begun accepting all major health insurance policies in a move ......read more

- In its first stage, it covers real estate units - Implementing the valuation service within 15 seconds, and raising customer happiness    Dubai, UAE, 6 September 2020: As part of its keenness to provide smart services in line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy and achieve the government's smart transformation strategy, Dubai Land Department announced the completion the first stage of the project that relies on artificial intelligence in the smart valuation process of real estate units.   The first-of-its-kind project relies on artificial intelligence in the smart valuation process for real estate units, in line with DLD’s approach, which regards innovation as a fundamental pillar for making and shaping the future. As a result of this project, DLD would be contributing to improving the quality, ......read more

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 6 September, 2020:  The Director General of the Dubai Health Authority(DHA) recently received the Indian Consul General at the DHA headquarters. HE Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of the DHA received HE Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Al Qutami highlighted the long-standing relationship between the two countries in several fields including the health sector. He discussed ways to explore and enhance cooperation between the two countries in the medical field. He added that DHA is keen to collaborate with global health institutions to foster knowledge-transfer and provide high-quality care to patients.  HE Dr Aman Puri, Consul General of India to Dubai and the Northern Emirates congratulated and extended his gratitude to the UAE leadership, all ......read more

• Hospital to deploy robots for exhaustive sterilisation of facilities   • No layoffs, salary cuts or decrease in privileges for any staff   Dubai, United Arab Emirates,  September 06, 2020:  RAK Hospital has been conducting regular Covid-19 screenings for all 525 of its staff members for several months now, as part of its intensive efforts in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.   The hospital’s extra measures and precautions make it one of the very few healthcare institutions in the country – not just in ensuring the health and safety of its patients – but also putting equal emphasis on the health and wellbeing of all its employees.   Dr Raza Siddiqui, Executive Director, RAK Hospital, said: “Since the beginning of the pandemic, all members of ......read more

• Demand for telemedicine consultations soared during the pandemic, rising 60-fold in the United States alone  • Artificial Intelligence models now commonly used to help doctors finalise diagnosis • UAE shifted over1.2 million students to distance learning within two weeks  • Government investment and incentives needed to develop telecoms infrastructure  • Global standards for ICT sector would dramatically decrease costs    United Arab Emirates,  September 06, 2020:  The COVID-19 pandemic has been the catalyst for a massive adoption of advanced technologies in the healthcare, education and telecommunications sectors as service providers abruptly switched to online platforms, according to speakers at the at the virtual edition of the Global Manufacturing and ......read more

Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences collaborate with healthcare authorities and fellow academics to complete comprehensive study in fight against virus Results show that the diagnostic accuracy of saliva for viral detection has similar sensitivity to the currently used nasopharyngeal swab Dubai, September 6, 2020:  Researchers from the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU) have made a significant contribution to the fight against COVID-19 with the completion of a study into the effectiveness of saliva as an alternative to the nasopharyngeal swab for COVID-19 screening.  The study, a first in the UAE and the MENA region, was a close collaborative effort between the public and private sectors and academia. The research team from MBRU were joined by teams from ......read more

• Wellness tourism trend shows potential among both residents and tourists.  • Webinars to discuss challenges, opportunities and trends in the current environment • The emirate witnessed a 4 per cent increase in its health tourist arrivals in 2019 to reach 350,118 compared to 2018.   Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 5 September 2020:  The Dubai Health Authority’s Health Tourism Department will continue holding a series of webinars in collaboration with the private health sector to discuss the latest trends in health tourism.   The aim of the webinars will be to discuss health tourism in the current global and local context and to discuss areas of focus, ways to provide medical tourists with enhanced health protocols, comfort and high-quality treatment. The webinars will also discuss ......read more

• In 2019, DHA provided 389,512 diagnostic imaging services which was an increase of 12 per cent compared to 2018.  • 89 per cent of the diagnostic services were provided within 20 minutes of the patient’s arrival to the hospital or the health center.   Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 3 September, 2020: The Dubai Health Authority’s radiology department provides subspecialized radiology services for better diagnosis and enhanced patient care.    Dr. Usama Mohammad Hassan AL Bastaki, Acting Director of Diagnostic Imaging Department at the DHA said, “Radiologists play an integral role in patient management. At the DHA, we always consider the highest quality of radiology services and therefore we introduced subspecialty services.    “In Rashid Hospital there ......read more

• Pregnancy tumor weighing approximately 1.2kgs, one of the largest to be reported, treated successfully at Aster Hospital, Al Qusais, Dubai     2 September, Dubai, UAE:  A 25 year-old patient was treated at Aster Hospital, Qusais, to extract a “Lactational Adenoma” also known as “Breast Tumor of Pregnancy” weighing approximately 1.2kgs with dimensions of 20x15x7cms, one of the largest to be presented. Characteristically, a Lactating Adenoma is a benign stromal tumor that occurs only in pregnant women. It is a solid mass which commonly ranges between 1 to 4 cms, oval or macro lobulated in shape, with well-defined margins parallel to the chest wall.   The patient was presented at Aster Hospital, Qusais, at the time of her delivery when a swelling in her right breast was ......read more