Dubai Health Authority calls for a unified reporting healthcare mechanism to eradicate tuberculosis

Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has confirmed its participation in the InnovHealth – Middle East Healthcare Innovations Summit, hosted by business information group naseba, in Abu Dhabi on April 25th-26th. The DHA’s objective is to raise awareness for Tuberculosis (TB) in the region.
The DHA, which was established in 2007 to set policies and strategies for health, is keen to use InnovHealth 2010’s strategic platform to reach a selective audience of leading health authorities and professionals from across the region. It is calling for a unified reporting mechanism in the country to fortify proposed laws to ensure that people coming to reside in the UAE from a TB endemic country are screened before leaving.
Dr. Ali Hassan Al Marzooqi, Director of Public Health, DHA said “Consider the unique population demography in the GCC and in particular Dubai, where we are witnessing huge number of people from TB endemic countries coming to live and work. While TB is considered an easy disease to diagnose and manage with relatively inexpensive medicine, adhering to treatment protocols is very important, and many patients fail to do so. Most countries are equipped to deal with it, so it’s just a matter of creating awareness and gaining cooperation.”
According to World Health Organisation (WHO), an estimated 9.4 million people worldwide were infected with TB in 2008. In the UAE, the number of new cases among the local population has been steady for the past 15 years, but overall figures show an annual increase of around 17 percent; attributed mainly to people arriving from endemic countries.
Dr. Al Marzooqi urged health organisations to play an active role and take responsibility for healthcare issues: “Summits that cover an important topic such as the ones covered here [InnovHealth 2010] are rare. This is an excellent opportunity to explore and identify best public health practices in the region and to open dialogue between key figures in this field.”
This fifth edition of naseba’s Middle East Healthcare Innovations Summit will feature networking sessions and discussions designed to result in potential solutions for coping with TB and other issues faced by the Middle East’s healthcare sector, including infrastructure adequacy, healthcare reforms, cancer treatment and more.
“naseba is thrilled to be hosting such a high calibre of representatives from across the region and introducing them to global names in healthcare. The summit will cover a range of topics central to the ever-changing needs of the healthcare industry as it develops, particularly in the GCC countries.” Concluded Fabien Faure, Group Managing Director, naseba.
The TB issue and many others will be open for discussion at InnovHealth 2010, which will showcase all the latest innovations in healthcare, as well as featuring keynotes from industry leaders such as DHA. In addition to TB, other topics up for discussion include the use of cutting-edge technology to address breast cancer in the Middle East, the importance of innovative adaptation for healthcare insurance policies and the need to attract foreign investment for regional expansion and healthcare innovations. Keynote presentations and panel discussions will be led by renowned global organisations; including the UAE Ministry of Health, the Health Authority Abu Dhabi, Siemens Healthcare, Philips Middle East, CEDARS International, Mubadala, and Gulf Healthcare International.