Fifty years on from the first Arab Health conference held in Dubai, there has been a generational shift in the global approach towards health care and the way patients are treated.
For this year's event, which started on Monday, Dubai World Trade Centre’s conference halls, stacked with the latest medical devices and diagnostic scanners, showed business remains at the exhibition’s core. But how governments and healthcare authorities around the world deal with universal concerns of staff shortages and how to harness the power of rapidly accelerating technology were also familiar themes.
Prevention has moved sharply to the forefront of planning, with ageing populations around the world creating extra pressure for hospitals as people live longer, some with chronic health conditions. The changing nature of healthcare demand has been reflected in the Northern Emirates, which is facing up to a double dynamic of population growth and surging demand, with mandatory health insurance introduced on January 1.
The Arabian Healthcare Group will aim to meet those needs with a new 209-bed multi-speciality hospital that aims to be up and running in Ras Al Khaimah by 2027. Greenfield Hospital and its associated community clinics will offer all aspects of care, aside from oncology and transplants, and promises the latest artificial intelligence to streamline patient services.
The importance of technology
Automation will be integral across all operations, from patient admissions, to diagnostics and post treatment care. Dr Raza Siddiqui, chief executive of the Arabian Healthcare Group and executive director of RAK Hospital, said population dynamics have forced a change to the healthcare approach.
“When we planned the hospital 20 years ago, it was a scalable model,” Dr Siddiqui told The National. “There was a small population that could afford this kind of care but health care has to be world-class every time, every day.
“The real situation now is the population of Ras Al Khaimah has become 400,000 and insurance is becoming mandatory. What we are doing now is to keep pace with the changing times.”
An ageing world
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says the global population of those 60 and older is expected to double by 2050 and triple by 2100, with huge implications for health care.
Given current trends, research by Alpen Capital suggests over-50s will make up 18.5 per cent of the GCC's population in 2025, up from 14.2 per cent in 2020.
“Health care is facing major challenges: ageing population; burden of chronic disease; cost of health care going up; insurance controlling price; and a shortage of fiscal manpower,” said Dr Siddiqui. “Keeping people healthy, and in their homes, is the most important thing to consider due to the burden of chronic disease. These people can be managed well with wearable devices and remote monitoring. This is a message of wellness, so people don't have to visit a clinic 10 times a year.”
Special disease-management software will be connected remotely to someone’s home and pair with wearable devices, to admit patients only when absolutely necessary, Dr Siddiqui said as he noted the importance of AI.
For example, during a visit to a doctor, 60 per cent of the time can be taken up entering patient data. Generative AI will aim to capture the conversation between patient and doctor in a template in the hospital’s records system, freeing up time and enhancing productivity.
Population health
The health industry is looking to the future and how to provide services that keep people out of hospital. Spread across 1,022 square metres, the latest clinic by DNA Health & Wellness in Al Manhal, Abu Dhabi, will focus on prevention and living longer.
Longevity has become a booming industry, with DNA Health & Wellness one of many looking to build on a blossoming UAE market for wellness. The clinic promises a comprehensive range of personalised treatment that focuses on prevention, optimisation, rejuvenation and longevity – with the sole objective of making people healthier and keeping them out of hospital.
Specialised treatment includes preventive health screenings that analyse more than 15,000 parameters and vast amounts of data, focusing on biomarkers, oxidation levels and lipids, peptides, stem cells and IV therapy.
All combine to give a full picture of individual health and any personalised interactions that may be required. "We focus on the early detection and management of diseases,” said Dr Nasr Al Jafari, co-founder and group medical director of DNA Health & Wellness. “By preventing and catching these conditions at their earliest stages, we provide effective healthcare plans to treat illnesses before they can cause harm.“
The group already has five clinics in Dubai and is looking to expand further into Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Bahrain. However, this kind of preventive care comes at a price and it could be some time before the latest wellness treatments are delivered en masse to an ageing public.
Longevity capsule
One eye-catching device on show at Arab Health is the Longevity Capsule by HaloRenew. What resembles a human-size microwave actually delivers salt therapy, oxygen, red-light therapy and aromatherapy for a 360-degree approach to health and wellness.
“Salt therapy cleanses and detoxes your body, and helps with respiratory issues like COPD [Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease] and asthma,” said Bruno Bafia, chief executive of HaloRenew. “It can also help with allergies and skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. The red-light therapy targets skin recovery, bone recovery and muscle recovery, while the oxygen relaxes the body and improves physical performance.”
Regular sessions from 20 minutes to one hour are designed to enhance respiratory health, rejuvenate skin, improve immunity and reduce inflammation. At about $60,000, the Longevity Capsule is expected to attract interest from high-end hotels, spas and airports.
“In California, we have a wellness centre where we have anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 people walking through the door to use this kind of therapy,” said Mr Bafia. “After anywhere between five and 10 sessions you're going to notice huge results.”
Arab Health 2025 runs until Thursday.
Stage result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34
2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco
5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team
8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global Fungi Facts
• Scientists estimate there could be as many as 3 million fungal species globally
• Only about 160,000 have been officially described leaving around 90% undiscovered
• Fungi account for roughly 90% of Earth's unknown biodiversity
• Forest fungi help tackle climate change, absorbing up to 36% of global fossil fuel emissions annually and storing around 5 billion tonnes of carbon in the planet's topsoil
MATCH DETAILS
Manchester United 3
Greenwood (21), Martial (33), Rashford (49)
Partizan Belgrade 0
SPECS
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
AIR
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8
Power: 503hp at 6,000rpm
Torque: 685Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Price: from Dh850,000
On sale: now
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
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A general guide to how active you are:
Less than 5,000 steps - sedentary
5,000 - 9,999 steps - lightly active
10,000 - 12,500 steps - active
12,500 - highly active
Sri Lanka World Cup squad
Dimuth Karunaratne (c), Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Kusal Mendis, Isuru Udana, Milinda Siriwardana, Avishka Fernando, Jeevan Mendis, Lahiru Thirimanne, Jeffrey Vandersay, Nuwan Pradeep, Suranga Lakmal.
My Country: A Syrian Memoir
Kassem Eid, Bloomsbury
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- Margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars
- Energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- Infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes
- Many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts
World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
3. Gareth Bale - to Real Madrid in 2013/14 - €101m
4. Cristiano Ronaldo - to Real Madrid in 2009/10 - €94m
5. Gonzalo Higuain - to Juventus in 2016/17 - €90m
6. Neymar - to Barcelona in 2013/14 - €88.2m
7. Romelu Lukaku - to Manchester United in 2017/18 - €84.7m
8. Luis Suarez - to Barcelona in 2014/15 - €81.72m
9. Angel di Maria - to Manchester United in 2014/15 - €75m
10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The%20specs
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The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
'Top Gun: Maverick'
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
Specs – Taycan 4S
Engine: Electric
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 571bhp
Torque: 650Nm
Price: Dh431,800
Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
Transmission: 2-speed auto
Power: 455bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: from Dh431,800
