Middle East Health eNews

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, executive director for Health Policies at the MoH shakes hands with Ali Sleiman, therapeutic area manager, Diabetes, Merck Serono

The UAE Ministry of Health and Merck Serono, the drug company, have signed an agreement to provide diabetes skills training for doctors in the Emirates in an effort to address the growing epidemic of diabetes in the country.

Dr Mahmoud Fikri, executive director for Health Policies at the MoH said initiative is an excellent example of public-private partnership with a common goal of improving health outcomes for UAE residents.

He said the initiative sets the stage for the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists to randomly select 200 doctors to participate in phase one of the programme. The group will comprise doctors with diabetes training and those without in order to evaluate what knowledge is required, following which a curriculum will be developed to train doctors to diagnose and treat diabetes.

Diabetes has reached epidemic proportions in the UAE with with some 18.7% of the population suffering from type II diabetes according to the latest figures from the International Diabetes Foundation.

The region’s first long-term care and rehabilitation facility will officially open its doors in Abu Dhabi in September 2010. Pro Vita Abu Dhabi is the first facility of its kind in the MENA to offer state of the art long-term care for ventilated patients in a non-hospital setting.

 With a capacity of 42 beds, more than 100 employees provide round the clock medical care. The facility will have 24 hour physician coverage staffed by German physicians and has a formal affiliation with the University of Munich. Pro Vita is an internationally leading, fully accredited and highly specialised provider of care in Germany and the original founder and managing partner of the German operation has relocated as founder and general manager of Pro Vita Abu Dhabi.

Currently only hospital beds exist for ventilator supported care across the GCC, meaning that approximately 200 hospital ICU beds are used for long-term care ventilator patients.

High rates of vehicle accidents and congenital disease factors in the region contribute to an environment where long-term ventilator care and rehabilitation services are in high demand across the GCC.  Pro Vita is expected to significantly improve the quality of life for patients who need such treatment, allowing them the opportunity to receive care at a specialised facility in their home country as opposed to similar facilities abroad or ICU beds at local hospitals. It will also alleviate financial and logistical pressure on over-subscribed hospital ICU units in Abu Dhabi and the GCC.  

Christina Shawky-Bohme, founder of Pro Vita and general manager of Pro Vita Abu Dhabi, said: “In Germany, Pro Vita has been providing care since 1996 and has seen over 500 patients, including several dozen from the Middle East region. Modern medical possibilities and increasing life expectancy have led to increased cost consciousness in healthcare, meaning greater demand for out-of-hospital intensive care. This need is not currently being met in the MENA.

“For us the person requiring care is seen not only as a patient with medical treatment needs, but as a human being with dreams, hopes and expectations. When dealing with family members, hospitals and financial sponsors we also attach significance to a person-centred, goal-oriented approach. In terms of daily patient care this means that we efficiently and effectively conserve all resources.”

There is a significant need for several dozen facilities across the GCC and MENA and Pro Vita plans to expand its offering with additional locations in the UAE as well as other countries in the region.

Abu Dhabi’s Ambulatory Healthcare Services (AHS), a SEHA Health System Facility, has announced revised Ramadan timings for its healthcare centers and Disease Prevention and Screening Center (DPSC) in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

The revised work timings will be as following:
AHS Headquarter: Sunday to Thursday – From 9 am to 3 pm
Ambulatory Healthcare Centers: From 9 am to 3 pm and 8 pm till 12:30 pm
Disease Prevention and Screening Center – Abu Dhabi: Sunday to Thursday – from 9am to 5pm, and in Saturday from 9am to 3pm

Disease Prevention and Screening Centers – Musaffah, Al Ain and Western Region: Sunday to Thursday – - from 9 am to 2 pm

The Health Authority of Abu Dhabi (HAAD) Medicines and Medical Products Department have released their latest news update which includes medication safety alerts for healthcare professionals, information about current progress with H1N1 influenza immunization, new medications, a survey on household products and their health hazards, and a variety of other useful pharmacology and toxicology information.

• The newsletter can be downloaded here. (PDF – 1MB)
  Toxi-Drug Newsletter for Abu Dahbi Health Authority

Report adverse drug events
HAAD is also urging healthcare professionals to report adverse event information on patient receiving any of the newly added medications (listed on the newsletter) to Abu Dhabi Pharmacovigilance Center by any of the following means;
Phone 800 424 (in the UAE)
Fax +971 (0)2 444 3125
or e-mail pv@haad.ae

Visit the HAAD Pharmacoviligence website.

Abu Dhabi’s Mafraq Hospital has launched a year-long hand hygiene awareness campaign entitled ‘Clean Hands Save Lives’. The campaign targets Mafraq Hospital staff, patients, and the Abu Dhabi community, especially children. The educational initiative reinforces the importance of one of the simplest methods of preventing infection — hand washing. A range of activities are planned to coincide with Global Hand Washing Day on 15 October 2010.

“The Clean Hands Save Lives campaign is a crucial part of patient safety at Mafraq Hospital,” said John Nickens, CEO, Mafraq Hospital, which is owned and operated by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA). “To really drive the message home, we have focused on creating a programme that is cheerful, lighthearted, colourful and also educational to raise overall awareness of the benefits of hand washing.

“We are starting at the base, right here in the hospital, but also branching out into the wider community. The aim is to transform hand washing with soap from an abstract ‘good idea’ into an automatic behaviour performed in homes, schools, and across communities in the UAE.”

“Hand hygiene remains the simplest and single most important measure to break the chain of infection and prevent illness,” said Gail Smith, Chief Nursing Officer, Mafraq Hospital.