HRH PRINCESS HAYA STRESSES NEED FOR BALANCE BETWEEN INNOVATION AND MEDICINE

2 February 2017

Leaders in Healthcare conference at Arab Health highlights key developments in healthcare automation from robotics, to drones and the latest 3D medical printing initiatives and technology trends

Dubai, UAE, 2 February 2017 – Healthcare leaders from across the globe gathered today at the “Leaders in Healthcare” conference, one of the region’s most established and reputed healthcare conferences, which marked the final day of the 2017 edition of the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress 2017 in Dubai. Held under the patronage of Chairperson of Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Leaders in Healthcare conference saw industry experts from across the globediscuss current challenges and opportunities in the adoption of innovative technologies for healthcare including robotics, drones, and 3D printing. 

In attendance alongside HRH Princess Haya was HE Abdul Rahman Mohamed Al Oweis, UAE Minister of Health & Prevention, and Prof. Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health of Nigeria.

“His Highness Sheikh Mohammed’s desire to make Dubai the best hub for business, financial services, education and healthcare is driven by his sense of duty to the people of the Emirate. He has created a city where people can live and be happy, a reflection of how important humanity is to him,” stated HRH Princess Haya, as part of her keynote speech. “I am very proud to be able to make a statement that reflects the humility of our healthcare teams. The combination of ambition and humility is the kind of balance that healthcare needs, and here in the UAE, we have that balance. Our leadership has embraced technology to ensure quality and it has never forgotten its people. And that is our message to all of you who visit us today. Our nascent system is exemplary in its approach to technology.”

“I have already alluded to the difficulty faced in embracing new technology in healthcare. To ensure successful adoption, we need to equip the physician, the patient, and the system with the right tools and knowledge. We also need to improve medical training to ensure future generations of doctors are proficient in the use of technology, social media, and digital platforms,” continued HRH Princess Haya. “And this is my point, this is where the balance lies – we have seen all kinds of machines and technologies that have created the architecture, but in the end, it was for the benefit of the people, to give them a home for the future. This same balance needs to be struck between innovation and medicine.”

HRH Princess Haya also toured some of the 4,400 vendor, service provider and manufacturer exhibits at Arab Health 2017, including those belonging to the Abu Dhabi Health Services (SEHA), Abu Dhabi Health Authority, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, Dubai Healthcare City, University Hospital Sharjah, Arabian Millennium Medical Trading, Dr. Sulaiman Al Habib Hospital, GE Healthcare and Siemens, amongst others. Accompanying HRH Princess Haya on the tour was HE Abdul Rahman Mohamed Al Oweis and other dignitaries.

“As a partner of the Leaders in Healthcare conference, we continue to support the UAE’s drive towards adopting innovative technology and comprehensive solutions for healthcare applications,” said Dr. Bernd Ohnesorge, President of the Region Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa at Siemens Healthineers. “The rapid adoption of new healthcare technologies and partnership models supports healthcare providers in improving patient outcomes, by streamlining processes and pushing the boundaries of patient care. The possibilities are endless for innovation in healthcare and this conference provides the ideal platform for leaders in the industry to converge and discuss how we can better utilize technologies for the benefit of patients across the region.”

Speakers of the 2017 Leaders in Healthcare conference also included: Lord Stephen Carter, Group CEO, Informa, organiser of Arab Health; Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman and Managing Director, Aster DM Healthcare; Elliot Sack, Managing Director, ehealth group; Dr Alawi Alsheikh Ali, Dean College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences; Timothy Kien Amikele, Medical Director, Makerere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration Core Laboratory; Paul Miullen, general Manager, GE Healthcare, and other healthcare leaders from across the globe.

The Leaders in Healthcare conference marked the final day of the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress. In 2017, the world’s second largest healthcare exhibition and congress, show cased more than 4,400 exhibitors.

To know the full list of conferences at Arab Health Congress 2018, click here.