Tawam molecular imaging centre breaks ground

The ceremony followed an agreement last year between Mubadala Development Company and Siemens Healthcare to create a stand-alone facility that will vastly improve diagnostic imaging in the region and contribute to more efficient treatment for patients.

Scheduled for completion in 2009, the Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre will be among the first of its kind in the region to offer revolutionary diagnostic imaging systems which significantly improve the early detection and tracking of cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases with accuracy far exceeding conventional medical imaging.

Patients throughout the region who currently have to travel abroad for this kind of procedure will soon be able to benefit from the very latest international technological advances without leaving the UAE.

The Centre will be equipped with a PET/CT diagnostic system (a hybrid combining Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography).

Images from a PET/CT scan can be acquired twice as fast as with traditional separate PET and CT scans, allowing for physicians to view both metabolic activity and pinpoint where abnormal lesions are located, all in the same image.

The Centre will also be the first in the region to feature a Siemens Cyclotron particle accelerator that produces high yields of reliable radioisotope biomarkers required for PET examinations.

As well as providing these biomarkers for Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre, the Cyclotron will also be able to serve other hospitals in the region that do not currently have access to this technology.

Johns Hopkins Medicine International (JHI), an affiliate of US medical institution Johns Hopkins Medicine, will be the clinical operator of the facility alongside its current operation of Tawam Hospital.

This world renowned organization will now bring the same high standards of patient care to this new centre as it has at Tawam Hospital, where, in partnership with Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA), it is enhancing oncology services as well as developing a full continuum of specialty focused healthcare services.

His Excellency Dr Ahmed Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Health Authority Abu Dhabi, said:

"The creation of the Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre is an excellent example of how the experience and expertise of international private healthcare providers can be brought together to create outstanding healthcare facilities for the region. It is also in line with HAAD's strategy to establish partnerships with the public and private sector to ensure excellent quality healthcare for the community."

"The Centre is ideally positioned to support the existing work and capabilities of Tawam Hospital. Its location alongside the hospital and the consistency of treatment provided by Johns Hopkins will create synergies to benefit the treatment and diagnosis of cancer and other diseases."

Chief Operating Officer of Mubadala, Waleed Al Mokarrab Al Muhairi, said: "Today's ceremony marks another significant step forward in Mubadala's commitment to creating a market leading and robust integrated healthcare network that is developed around the needs of patients. As we focus on setting the highest standards for patient care, our partnerships with Siemens and Johns Hopkins allow us to create a world-class diagnostic imaging centre that will considerably improve the detection, diagnosis and subsequent treatment of diseases in the region."

"We are thrilled to expand our involvement within the Tawam Hospital campus and the larger Abu Dhabi health community," said Harris Benny, CEO of Johns Hopkins Medicine International.

"This agreement is consistent with our goal of dedicating the experience and expertise of Johns Hopkins Medicine to deliver the very best standards of healthcare in the Middle East."

"The building of this centre marks a major step forward in the development of healthcare in the region," said Joachim Kundt, CEO of Siemens LLC. "This new facility will ensure that patients in the region are able to access some of the best possible care anywhere in the world."