Two day initiative focused on sharing best practice, latest advances, challenges and solutions in the field of pain and management of chronic inflammatory disorders

Over 180 of the most eminent regional pain and chronic inflammatory disorders management specialists attended the first Middle East Pain & Inflammation Academy. The two day initiative, held on the 12^th and 13^th of March, 2010, was organized by Pfizer Africa and Middle East and accredited as a Continuous Medical Education (CME) program by the local Dubai Health Authority (DHA).

The pain and chronic inflammatory disorders management experts – representing medical organizations from the UK, Germany, Canada, UAE and Saudi Arabia – provided workshops, presentations, panel debates and question and answer sessions with senior regional healthcare professionals. The key objective of the Pain & Inflammation Academy was to provide a platform to develop strategies aimed at improving the quality of life of pain sufferers.

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“It takes a lot of effort to make the information available, but it only becomes valuable when it is shared.”

Some of the most experienced diabetes specialists from across the Middle East gathered in Abu Dhabi today for the start of a two day brainstorming and knowledge sharing session known as DEVOTED. Their aim is simple – to help raise awareness and reduce incidence and burden of type 2 diabetes; which is running riot in the Middle East. Out of the six countries with the world’s highest prevalence of diabetes, five are members of the GCC.

The initiative is endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Health, the Emirates Diabetes Society, the Kuwait Diabetes Society, and organized by Sanofi-aventis Middle East.

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Dubai is to host the seventh edition of the Dubai International Rehabilitation Forum – REHAB 2010, which will be held from the 15^th – 17^th of March at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. REHAB is held under the patronage of H.H Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid AL Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, and Minster of Finance, and organized by Index Conferences and Exhibitions Organisation Est. – member of Index Holding, and in cooperation with Dubai Club for Special Sports.

REHAB 2010 is to be held under the motto “Beyond Inclusion and Partnership”. The conference brings together international key specialists in the field of disability and rehabilitation to discuss the latest developments and updates in this particular field, while highlighting the role of inclusion which is considered a major objective and challenge.

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GE Healthcare today announced the availability of Vscan, a new, pocket-sized visualization tool developed to provide physicians with imaging capabilities at the point-of-care, in the Middle East.

Roughly the size of a smart phone, Vscan houses powerful, ultra-smart ultrasound technology that provides clinicians with an immediate, non-invasive method to help secure visual information about what is happening inside the body. Vscan is portable and can easily be taken from room to room to be used in many clinical, hospital or primary care settings.

The VScan, showcased at Arab Health 2010 in January, was officially launched in the Middle East at the New York School of Regional Anesthesia (NYSORA) World Anesthesia Congress being held from March 7 to 12 at the Dubai International Convention Centre.

Hisham Youssef, General Manager – Ultra Sound, Middle East, Africa & Turkey, GE Healthcare, said the launch of VScan in the Middle East will significantly add to the convenience of healthcare professionals in providing early health care. “Early and timely diagnosis is the key to more effective treatment. The pocket-size Vscan means that doctors can arrive at the same diagnostic inferences without necessarily having to shift the patient to hospitals for diagnostic reasons. This revolutionary product complements GE’s own ‘healthymagination’ initiative of reducing healthcare costs through timely care.”

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International and local experts to present updates on how physiotherapy helps in spine and knee treatment, pediatric neurology, and caring for aging adults

The third Emirates Physiotherapy Conference – Physio Dubai 2010 – will be held at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel from the 28^th to 30^th of March 2010.

Organised by the Emirates Physiotherapy Society under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai and the UAE Minister of Finance and Industry, the three-day conference will host internationally renowned researchers, educators, clinicians and practitioners in physiotherapy, orthopaedics, neurosciences, paediatrics and rehabilitation medicine.

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Emaar Healthcare Group, the healthcare subsidiary of Emaar Properties, in association with Methodist International, a subsidiary of The Methodist Hospital, is marking ‘Nutrition Month’ during the month of March by offering free nutrition consultation at Meadows Clinic, the newly opened healthcare centre in The Meadows community.

Dieticians Ms Emilie Hartmann and Ms Tracy Friedrick – key members of the Nutrition & Dietetics Services of Emaar Healthcare Group – will offer complimentary nutrition consultation every Sunday and Wednesday through the month. Community residents and members of the public can benefit from the consultations, offering advice on a range of nutrition-related issues.

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New medication by Roche to relief the burden of the disease & stop its progression

International and regional medical experts meeting in Dubai this week addressed the importance of early detection and adequate treatment for patients afflicted by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an auto-immune disease resulting in the loss of joint function which often leads to disability and other systemic complications. The event was organized by Roche, the world’s largest biotech company, where it announced the launch of its innovative drug, Actemra® (tocilizumab), the only product to show superiority over methotrexate (MTX), the most widely used treatment against rheumatoid arthritis.

Research has shown that rheumatoid arthritis patients have high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), the key cytokine or protein involved in the inflammatory process. The overproduction of IL-6 leads to inflammation, swelling, joint damage and destruction, as well as other symptoms. Speaking at the event, Business Unit Director, Roche UAE,Dr. Hesham El-Bakr, said: “By blocking the action of IL-6, Actemra, the world’s first IL-6 receptor-inhibiting monoclonal antibody, rapidly improves the signs and symptoms by reducing inflammation both in the joints and throughout the body, thereby helping more RA patients to achieve the ultimate goal of remission.”

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Quiz shows, cookery lessons and consultations formed the basis of activities for last week’s programme at the Family Health Festival, an official DSF 2010 event. The month-long popular mall-based campaign which is offering lifestyle advice as it visits shopping centres throughout the city has been endorsed by the UAE Ministry of Health and has made it its mission to improve the wellbeing of the emirate’s residents and visitors.

Practical activities being made available at Family Health Festival 2010 include cookery stations for demonstrations on how to rustle-up healthy meals, power yoga exercise classes and free medical consultations. Health checks being carried out on-site include blood sugar testing, cholesterol measurements, body mass index calculations and blood pressure monitoring. The campaign’s aim of helping people to achieve a healthier lifestyle has been made possible through the support of the Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF); the first of the yearly fixtures on the city’s calendar of major events.

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Emaar Healthcare Group, the healthcare subsidiary of Emaar Properties, has opened the Meadows Clinic, the first community clinic that will also serve residents of Emaar’s other master-planned communities including Emirates Hills, The Lakes and The Springs.

Meadows Clinic is the second healthcare centre opened by Emaar Healthcare Group and follows the opening of The Dubai Mall Medical Centre, the largest outpatient facility in the region. A third clinic will open shortly in Arabian Ranches, another established neighbourhood of Emaar.

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Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, Dubai will host the seventh edition of the Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD), which will get underway on the 4^th of April 2010 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre and will last for three days.

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