Watch: UAE doctor reveals details about astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi's health in space

UAE astronaut Sultan AlNeyadi, who has been space for over three months now, is in the best of health and there have been no physical concerns so far, his flight surgeon Dr Hanan Al Suwaidi has confirmed to Khaleej Times on Wednesday.

In an exclusive video interview after a session of ‘A Call from Space’ (Medical Science Edition) at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), Dr Al Suwaidi said: “Sultan is doing very well. We are monitoring his health periodically. There are no challenges so far.”

Dr AlSuwaidi, who is the only flight doctor in the region, is monitoring AlNeyadi’s health weekly. She is also checking if AlNeyadi is eating and sleeping well. She also monitors AlNeyadi’s vital signs whenever he is exercising for at least 2.5 hours daily to avoid muscle atrophy and bone loss triggered by microgravity,

Dr AlSuwaidi was present with other flight surgeons when AlNeyadi and SpaceX Crew 6 lifted from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida on March 2. She added that she is excited to see Sultan soon.

Watch her speak to Khaleej Times here:

Space and medicine

The latest instalment of ‘A Call from Space’ focused on the contributions of AlNeyadi’s space exploration to medical sciences.

Answering questions from health professionals, AlNeyadi said there is a correlation between space flights and medicine. He noted that he himself is a subject of physiological experiments aboard the orbiting International Space Station (ISS) by donning a Bio-Monitor and headband that are used to monitor his vital signs such as heart rate and blood pressure. This smart shirt offers insights into human body's response to microgravity and the technology can be a game-changer for remote healthcare.

• 3 months of AlNeyadi aboard ISS: 13 things the UAE astronaut has achieved