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Ahmad Sharaf, Senior Vice President, Healthcare and Energy, Tatweer, said:
'In its endeavour to offer world-class healthcare services, DHCC has opened its doors to alternative medicine therapy, which is gaining wide acceptance worldwide. With this, DHCC further reiterates its commitment to provide a balanced combination of traditional and modern medicine while catering to a larger segment of the community.'
CAM considers health a harmonious balancing of the mind and body. It is a holistic approach to healing that deals with the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of a person in totality. According to the World Health Organization, interest in CAM has grown considerably in many developed countries during the last decade. Its phenomenal global impact has prompted several major universities worldwide to set up alternative medicine educational centers.
Dr. Muhadditha Al-Hashimi, CEO, Dubai Healthcare City, said: 'The establishment of the Complementary & Alternative Medicine Council is our response to global trends, reflecting the growing popularity of alternative medicine and traditional practices. The council also demonstrates DHCC's efforts to operate on the global level as an efficient and leading market player.'
Dr. Ayesha Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer, Center of Healthcare Planning and Quality, said: 'The use of these alternative therapies is growing. A survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health in the United States, has stated that in 2002, more than 36% of the Americans used one form or the other of alternative therapy during the preceding 12 months, while nearly 50% had availed of these therapies at some point in their lifetime.'
The results of market survey conducted recently in Dubai generated almost identical numbers at 28% and 48% respectively in 2006. The same study concluded that 55% of the public prefer the implementation of formal regulations for CAM to increase public confidence and wider use.
'There is an obvious need to regulate this market to assure quality and safety. CPQ is proud to be the pioneer in developing CAM regulations with the establishment of the CAM Council, which is unique to this region,' added Dr Abdullah.
The five-member council overseeing DHCC's CAM will commence work in the last quarter of 2007. Led by Dr. Andrew Weil as Chairman of the Council, it will include Teresa Hale, Dr. David Riley, Dr. Nishiti Joshi and Dr. Andrew Jeon, as its members.
Dr. Andrew Weil is one of America's leading practitioners in CAM. He is Director of Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona. He is also the founder of the 'Foundation for Integrative Medicine' and Editor-in-Chief of the journal Integrative Medicine. He has authored several books on the subject.
Teresa Hale is a nutritionist, and the Founder and Managing Director of the famous Hale Clinic in London. Dr. David Riley specializes in Homeopathy, and is a clinical associate professor at the University of New Mexico Medical School. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of EXPLORE, a journal of science and healing. Dr. Nishiti Joshi is a CAM specialist and the founder of the renowned Joshi Clinic in London, while Dr. Andrew Jeon is the Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer of Harvard Medical International.
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Posted by Anne-Birte Stensgaard, Senior News Editor
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