The first annual conference of the Emirates Cardiac Society was opened in Dubai today by Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of Dubai Health Authority, on behalf of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Chairman of the Dubai Health Authority.
The conference, which will run until the sixth of November with the participation of a group of scientists and doctors from various medical institutions, will discuss strategic plans to reduce the burden of heart disease in the region.
Al Murooshid said: We have witnessed over the past years, successive developments in the field of diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, which underscore the concerted global efforts and integration to deal with this disease, which has become at the forefront of health problems that lead to death.
He said that in spite of significant efforts to improve heart related diseases, the Arab region is still experiencing a significant increase in the incidence of this disease, which has become a major concern and a challenge to health institutions to take measures and actions which are quick and urgent to prevent the expansion of the spread of the disease.
He commended efforts at the level of the Arab Gulf states and the region to develop action plans and joint programs to address heart disease, and the preparation of national programs to promote health education among the population to change lifestyles and some behavior which is one of the factors causing cardiovascular disease.
Care given by the DHA will provide diagnostic and therapeutic services for heart patients, according to the latest and the highest medical standards world through the center of Cardiothoracic Surgery in Dubai Hospital, which achieved successes worthy of pride over the past years and has become a scientific center for transfer of complex surgical procedures in the live and direct broadcast to the global medical conferences in various countries around Europe and the United States of America.
He added that “The Health Authority has direct guidance from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to the implementation of charitable initiative of free surgery and treatment of deformities in hearts of sick children.
Dubai Hospital in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Humanitarian and Charity Establishment hosted surgeons from a Sjernska hospital university city of Gothenburg, Sweden and San Donato Hospital, Milan, Italy, to conduct cardiac surgeries with the aim of easing the financial burden of patients and to provide psychological comfort and stability for them in addition to activating the program of continuing medical education and the transfer of global expertise.
WAM