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Sheikh Mohammed: UAE places high priority on creating one of the world’s best healthcare sectors

Dubai Ruler inaugurates four-day Arab Health 2023

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, opened the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress 2023 on Monday.

The inauguration was attended by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai.

Held for four days under the theme of ‘innovation and sustainability in healthcare’, the largest gathering of healthcare companies, technology and products in the MENA region, is expected to bring together more than 51,000 attendees.

Speaking on the occasion of the event’s inauguration, Sheikh Mohammed said: “The UAE and Dubai have placed a high priority on creating one of the world’s best healthcare sectors, in line with our development vision centred on human wellbeing and happiness. Consistent with our unwavering drive for excellence, we continue to transform the sector by bringing together the globe’s leading healthcare expertise, talent and institutions and opening new avenues for innovation to flourish. Our goal is to create a vibrant global healthcare hub that serves not only the needs of the people of our nation but also caters to the growing requirements of our vast region. Aligned with our goal of making the UAE one of the world’s best places to live and work, we are on a constantly evolving journey to raise standards of human development and welfare.”

More than 3,000 exhibitors from over 70 countries are showcasing innovative new healthcare technologies at the event. Arab Health 2023 will see over 300 regional and international speakers and nine Continuous Medical Education (CME) conferences featuring keynote speeches, scientific lectures, and industry briefings.

Following the inauguration, Sheikh Mohammed toured the event and visited the stands of various leading companies including GE Healthcare, Cleveland Clinic, Healthcare Spain, Siemens and Philips.

He also visited the Emirates Health pavilion, under whose umbrella, the Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP), Dubai Health Authority (DHA) and Abu Dhabi’s Department of Health (DOH) are participating in the event.

The three bodies are showcasing jointly developed projects as part of a national initiative to provide curative and digital health services aligned with the country's strategy to establish a sustainable, flexible preventive health system.

The UAE health authorities who are taking part as a unified national platform called ‘Emirates Health,’ representing the national spirit as well as the shared goals are also showcasing the latest developments on the National Programme for Donation and Transplantation of Human Organs and Tissues, ‘Hayat’.

The programme was launched in 2016 in accordance with a federal decree by law with the goal of improving the lives of patients with organ failure, reducing the suffering of their families, and promoting organ donation. The programme focuses on chronic kidney failure, heart disease, pulmonary failure, and Liver failure.

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The programme has so far resulted in 460 transplants, facilitating many multiorgan retrieval and transplant. This reflects the maximum efficiency of the system in which many more patients can receive a life-saving transplant.

According to experts, one organ donor can save the lives of eight individuals in urgent need of organs.

Dr Ali Al Obaidli, head of the National Transplantation and Organ Donation Committee, said during a press conference at Arab Health that the overall figure includes 204 organ transplants from 55 donors in 2022.

Ahmed Ali Al Dashti, assistant Undersecretary for the Support Services Sector, emphasised that the UAE health authorities are committed to raising public awareness of organ donation as a means of providing sustainable solutions for patients with various health conditions, particularly chronic kidney disease, heart disease, pulmonary failure, and liver failure.

Dashti commended the UAE’s relentless efforts made to regulate the transfer, transplantation, preservation, and development of human organs and tissues.