SEHA’s Third Annual Conference for Doctors attended by over 250 specialists, stakeholders and academicians

Press release

Published October 2nd, 2012 - 04:50 GMT

Al Bawaba

The Abu Dhabi Health Services Company – SEHA organized its Third Annual Conference for Doctors on 1st October 2012 at the St. Regis Hotel - Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. The event, held under the title "Training the Doctors – Enhancing Healthcare in Abu Dhabi," was concluded by a graduation ceremony for 90 UAE national doctors who had completed their training in SEHA’s healthcare facilities.

The conference was attended by senior decision makers from SEHA, over 250 specialists, spokespersons from other public sector and educational institutes including the Health Authority - Abu Dhabi (HAAD) and UAE University, international academicians and representatives from SEHA’s supporting healthcare providers such as the Zayed Military Hospital.

The event discussed operational and organizational issues in an interactive format while outlining SEHA’s vision for the training, education and development of resident doctors in its healthcare facilities. The programme included discussions on post graduation employment opportunities, criteria for shortlisting resident medical staff, higher studies in medicine, and SEHA’s commitment to investing in training UAE national doctors.

Speaking at the event, H.E. Saif Bader Al Qubaisi, SEHA Chairman, said, “SEHA is committed to the development of human capital, taking its lead from the UAE’s leadership. Our residential training programmes for UAE national doctors allow them to acquire practical experience in a healthcare provision setting, preparing them to assume important roles in various medical institutions and contribute towards the development of healthcare in the country.”

Al Qubaisi noted that doctors finishing their training in SEHA hospitals could look forward to contributing to the future of healthcare in Abu Dhabi and all of the UAE, enabling them to give back to the community.

“SEHA’s residency programmes contribute to an increase in the number of Emirati doctors in Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector, facilitate world class training for them and open up communication channels with international specialists that lead to closer working relationships with the world’s healthcare community. That translates into better healthcare to patients longer term,” he added.

The conference programme included several working sessions and forum discussions. Dr. Ali Abdulkarim Al Obaidli, Group Chief of Clinical Affairs, SEHA, kicked off proceedings with a discussion on “Leadership that will shape the future of healthcare.” Dr. Udi Abu Shaker also spoke about the role of motivation in leadership. Other speakers of note included Professor Muhammad Bani Yas, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the UAE University, and Dr. Ashraf Hassan Al Zaabi, Consultant and Head of Chest Diseases Department at the Zayed Military Hospital.

The event concluded with a graduation ceremony for recently graduating trainee doctors, where certificates of acknowledgement were handed out.

Background Information

SEHA HealthSystem

SEHA is the corporate marketing name of Abu Dhabi Health Services Company, an independent public joint stock company that owns and operates all public hospitals and clinics across the emirate. ‘SEHA’ is a phonetic rendering of the Arabic word for health.

The company was established by Emiri Decree No 10 of 2007 and is a leading participant in the reform of Abu Dhabi’s healthcare sector. The reform seeks to upgrade and improve healthcare delivery to the public at a level comparable to the finest healthcare systems in the world. The program began by separating management and regulation – SEHA assumed responsibility for public healthcare centers and hospitals, while Health Authority-Abu Dhabi (HA-AD) was established to regulate the public and private sectors. The two organizations replaced the General Authority for Health Services (GAHS), previously responsible for both roles.