Health Insurance Committee appoints International advisory Think Tank

The advisory panel will comprise five world renowned experts with global, regional and local expertise in health and health finance. The Think Tank will be attending a number of induction seminars and meetings in Dubai to familiarise themselves with the current health system.

It will provide advice and guidance to the HIC as it continues to progress its consultation programme and continues to formulate a broad framework for the future funding of a more efficient and effective healthcare model within Dubai.

Those confirmed include the following healthcare experts:

Professor Marc Roberts is the Professor of Political Economy, the Department of Health Policy and Management at Harvard University. He is widely known as senior advisor and consultant on the financing of healthcare systems, both in the United States and abroad. In recent years, he has worked with many governments including China, India, Egypt, Turkey and Iran on health sector reform, and has taken a leading role in educational programs supported by the World Bank in more than 30 countries around the world, designed to advance reform activities.

Dr Akiko Maeda, is the Health Sector Manager for the Middle East and North Africa region at the World Bank. She is a health economist with twenty years of experience working in the Middle East, South and East Asia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, specialising in health finance and health systems reforms. Before joining the World Bank, she held various positions with the Asian Development Bank, UNICEF and the United Nations Development Bank.

Professor Phua Kai Hong is the Associate Professor of Health Policy and Management at the National University of Singapore. He is consulted on health economics and financing by many governments in South-East Asia as well as public and international bodies including the Asian Development Bank, Red Cross, World Health Organisation and World Bank. He is currently Chairman of the Executive Board, Asia-Pacific Health Economics Network.

Professor Marjorie L. Baldwin is Director of the School of Health Management and Policy at Arizona State University. A leading health economist and international consultant on work disability and workers' compensation in the United States, she is also the author or co-author of more than 40 articles and book chapters. Additionally, she is currently Visiting Professor in the Executive Master's in Health Administration program offered by Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates.

Mr Ibrahim E. Muhanna is one of the world's pre-eminent healthcare actuaries. He has provided extensive advice to both global institutions, governments and business for over thirty years as well as undertaking a number of academic and research positions. Having worked in over twenty-six countries he has an extensive understanding of the Middle East. In 1986 he founded i.e. Muhanna & co. (International) in 1986 which has since become the largest actuarial service companies based in the region with offices in Cyprus, Egypt, Bahrain & Lebanon.

Commenting on the process, His Excellency Mr Ahmed bin Byat, Secretary General of the Dubai Executive Council, said:

"The Think Tank is about combining international expertise with specialist local knowledge. The Government is committed to finding the right solution for Dubai drawing upon a broad base of advice and expertise. These specialists have a wealth of experience on advising national governments, global institutions and other bodies around the world on the economics and financing of suitable healthcare models. Coupled with the induction programme, the Think Tank will add to the feedback we are already receiving from the local market where we are continuing to consult with a range of local and regional experts across both the insurance and healthcare sectors."

Dr Maeda from the World Bank said: "Dubai is a tremendous success story but its aspirations to become an ever growing international centre for trade and finance rest on a number of core economic principles. To appeal to a global economy and to maximise productivity levels there must be a healthy population with access to good quality health care across all levels of society. Additionally there is an increasing demand from within international business for reputable corporate social responsibility and established social protection programmes are also known to contribute to more stable economic growth."