ZHO, Excellency Ghayathi Polyclinics sign MoU

ABU DHABI, Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination (ZHO) and Excellency Ghayathi Polyclinics (EGP) – One Person Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to cement their strategic partnership, and provide medical and rehabilitation services to ZHO members.

As per the agreement, EGP will provide ZHO students with occupational, physical and speech therapy services.

The MoU was signed by Abdullah Ismail Al Kamali, ZHO’s Executive Director of the People of Determination Sector, and Dr. Oqab Essam Al Madi, EGP’s CEO, at the headquarters of the Ghayathi Care and Rehabilitation Centre (GCRC) in Al Dhafra Municipal Region, in the presence of a host of officials from both sides.

Under the MoU, potential cases of people of determination and children at risk of developing a disability later will be referred from the EGP and GCRC to ZHO. They include cases of potential autism spectrum for infants. Both sides will have access to an online link to view reports and therapy plans, and regular consultation and coordination during the implementation of all rehabilitation and therapy services and programmes for people of determination. Both sides will be able to work according to the potential available to them to provide the other party’s need for free training courses, with the aim of preparing personnel, and in the areas to be agreed upon.

ZHO provides the EGP’s physiotherapy services at the GCRC headquarters, and allows the EGP’s members to use the specialised therapy facilities at the GCRC headquarters, such as the therapeutic pool and sensory room, and referring of the ZHO members to complete the therapy services at the EGP headquarters, in accordance with the ZHO-approved referring policy.

EGP is committed to giving primacy to people of determination when they visit its headquarters, dealing with them pursuant to their needs and specificities. EGP will provide a number of services including medical support and advice to the ZHO members and new cases for medical evaluation; medical reports for the ZHO’s students; rehabilitative therapy services at the GCRC headquarters; insurance coverage against medical errors that may occur to the staff delegated by ZHO and EGP to be present at their headquarters; rehabilitative therapy services for the ZHO’s members such as occupational, speech, language and physical therapies; as well as paediatric, dental, and laboratory services, including COVID-19 PCR tests.

On this occasion, Al Kamali said, “We, at the ZHO, under the supervision and follow-up of H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Board of Zayed Higher Organisation for People of Determination, are keen on empowering people of determination to be an effective part of society so as to achieve the ZHO’s vision on equal rights that deepen happiness and community empowerment for people of determination. ZHO, through a range of scientific plans and programmes, works on developing the services provided in all its care and rehabilitation centres, and harnessing all its potential to provide a better future for people of determination, in accordance with international standards, to achieve the ZHO’s humanitarian mission by working to empower and integrate people of determination in society.”

For his part, Dr. Oqab Essam Al Madi, expressed his deep thanks and appreciation to the EGP of ZHO, headed by H.H. Sheikh Khalid bin Zayed Al Nahyan, describing their cooperation as fruitful, and praising the ZHO’s care and rehabilitation programmes of international standards for the various categories of people of determination. He asserted that integrating people of determination into society would raise their efficiency, increase their self-confidence, and make them capable of working and producing.

Source: Emirates News Agency

WHO Director-General commends Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre on COVID-19 treatments

ABU DHABI, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has visited Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre (ADSCC).

Dr. Yendry Ventura, General Manager of ADSCC, along with Dr. Fatima Al Kaabi, Director of the AD-BMT Programme, and the leadership team, welcomed Dr. Tedros to ADSCC’s state-of-the-art facility.

ADSCC specialises in developing pioneering technology methods for targeted stem cell therapies that rapidly detect, identify, and count specific cells.

During the visit, future collaborations in clinical innovation were discussed as ADSCC aims to become the WHO’s first partner in the Middle East.

The WHO has led the global effort in combatting COVID-19 and commended ADSCC for providing its cutting-edge stem cell treatment to infected patients. More than 13,800 patients have received “UAE-Cell19” treatment to date.

Additionally, ADSCC’s research was referenced in the latest edition of the WHO Therapeutics and COVID-19 Living Guideline issued on 7th December, which notes the most up-to-date recommendations for the use of therapeutics in the treatment of COVID-19.

ADSCC was also commended for contributing to the national testing and vaccination programme as the centre recorded over 14.5 million PCR tests to date. In collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH) and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), ADSCC has administered more than 172,600 vaccinations and has provided remote vaccination centres and home visits for vulnerable patients with chronic diseases and the elderly.

Dr. Tedros and Dr. Hawa Al Mansoori, ADSCC Executive Director of the Department of Intramural Research and Member of the Federal National Council of the UAE, also spoke about the newly announced letter of intent signed between ADSCC and the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), which is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The initiative will help to grow research partnerships in response to unique scientific opportunities as they arise between the UAE and the United States.

ADSCC was founded in March 2019 with the primary objective of meeting growing domestic and regional demand for advanced medical services and the most innovative treatments in the country.

As a leader in stem cell therapy in the UAE and region, ADSCC recently succeeded in its first experiment to locally manufacture CAR T-Cells in a laboratory and is close to starting clinical trials to prove the safety and effectiveness of CAR T-Cell therapy in treating hematologic cancers. The centre is also working towards creating treatments for Type-1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis.

Source: Emirates News Agency

Ninth Emirates Oncology Conference explores challenges facing cancer care

ABU DHABI, The Ninth Emirates Oncology Conference, the largest conference of its kind in the UAE, successfully concluded today, bringing together over 8,000 experts and delegates from the oncology community, who logged onto the online conference.

Organised by Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA) under the theme ‘Modern Comprehensive Cancer Care in the Era of the Pandemic’, the four-day virtual event took place over two consecutive weekends.

Hosted from Abu Dhabi, the conference achieved its objective of sparking a pivotal dialogue about how the healthcare community can address and overcome the challenges facing cancer care in the pandemic era. It served as a platform for the delivery of advanced scientific content pertaining to cancer treatment and care disseminated through various keynote lectures, symposiums and presentations, with an amalgamation of top specialists from the oncology community providing expert insight on current research efforts and findings.

Dr. Anwar Sallam, Group Chief Medical Officer at SEHA, said, “The conference helped to address an immediate need to initiate a conversation on where we are as far as cancer care in the region is concerned and where we want to be in the face of the pandemic. Being the largest health oncology event in the region, I was happy to see that it helped to not only spark pertinent discussions but also showcased the level of innovation and tremendous contributions that SEHA and Tawam Hospital are making towards the advancements of cancer care.”

Experts from the United States, Europe, Middle East, and the GCC joined an elite roster of speakers in presenting a range of scientific sessions. Highlights included: The Present State of Acute Myeloid Leukemia Care; Moving Towards Home Care Services for Chemotherapy Administration; Prevention of Chemotherapy Nausea and Vomiting; and Sensors, AI and Digital Innovation in Neurosurgery and Robotics.

Dr. Garnette Sutherland, Professor of Neurosurgery, Lead Project neuroArm, University of Calgary, Canada delivered a high-impact presentation on the various dimensions of application of AI in neurosurgery. He re-iterated that neurosurgery has always relied on technological advances and went on to introduce neuroArm, the world’s first MRI-compatible, image-guided surgical robot, created to significantly increase surgical accuracy and safety by liberating it from the limitations posed by the human arm.

Khalid Abdulla Raja Al Habaybia, Nurse Manager at Tawam Hospital presented a successful case of preventing chemotherapy nausea and vomiting, highlighting how patient and family education and adherence to guidelines limits nausea and vomiting in cancer patients.

The conference also hosted the third Women Surgeons of the Gulf meeting, which focused on crucial topics such as Women Surgeons and Maternity Leave; the History and Current Status of UAE Women Surgeons; and Women Surgeons and Research.

Dr. Khalid Saeed Balaraj, Chair of Oncology Center, Tawam Hospital, said, “This year’s Emirates Oncology Conference was a gathering of the finest experts in their field and served as a knowledge center for the newest medical models, approaches and research in oncology. Important debates and discussions brought to the forefront the growing need to adapt to the current pandemic situation and reassess the way we deliver cancer care. The healthcare industry, much like other sectors, is facing an acceleration towards the implementation of artificial intelligence, robotics and digital innovation. The conference proved to be an inspiring few days during which we witnessed updates on the latest treatment techniques, current and future trends in the delivery of care, and the phenomenal research that is happening across the globe as we move towards more patient-centric models.”

Source: Emirates News Agency

28,599 doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered during past 24 hours: MoHAP

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has announced that 28,599 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were given in the past 24 hours.

The total number of doses provided up to today stands at 22,235,168 with a rate of vaccine distribution of 224.82 doses per 100 people.

The vaccination drive is in line with the Ministry’s plan to provide the vaccine to all members of society and acquire immunity, which will help reduce the number of cases and control the spread of the virus.

Source: Emirates News Agency

UAE announces 148 new COVID-19 cases, 92 recoveries, no deaths in last 24 hours

ABU DHABI, The Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) announced that it conducted 340,100 additional COVID-19 tests over the past 24 hours, using state-of-the-art medical testing equipment.

In a statement, the Ministry stressed its aim to continue expanding the scope of testing nationwide to facilitate the early detection of coronavirus cases and carry out the necessary treatment. As part of its intensified testing campaign, MoHAP announced 148 new coronavirus cases, bringing the total number of recorded cases in the UAE to 743,152.

According to the Ministry, the infected individuals are from various nationalities, are in a stable condition, and receiving the necessary care.

The Ministry added that no COVID-19-related deaths have been recorded in the past 24 hours, with the death toll remaining unchanged at 2,151.

MoHAP also noted that an additional 92 individuals had fully recovered from COVID-19, bringing the total number of recoveries to 738,141.

Source: Emirates News Agency