Arab Health awards to honour Mid East health industry

The 'Middle East Arab Health' awards will recognise individuals, teams, organisations, partnerships and medical suppliers, for their work in helping improve healthcare services, from countries across the GCC, Yemen, Iran, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.

"Arab Health is the largest gathering of Middle Eastern health professionals at a single venue," said John Hassett, Exhibitions Director, Healthcare division, IIR Exhibitions & Conferences. "It is a fitting forum for us to honour those individuals and organisations which have been providing the highest level of services to the community in the last year."

Award categories will span: technological innovation; specialist achievement awards for radiology, surgery, pharma, support services, hospital development; best public-private healthcare partnership; best international healthcare partnerships; outstanding contribution to regional healthcare service and Middle East dealer/distributor of the year.

"A panel of eminent regional and international experts chaired by Prof. Joel J Nobel, MD, founder and president emeritus of international healthcare advisory body ECRI (formerly the Emergency Care Research Institute) will select the winners," said Hassett.

Nominations for the awards are open to residents of the qualifying countries and are being accepted through the websites www.arabhealthonline.com and www.middleeasthealthmag.com. The last date for receiving entries is January 10, 2004.

Speaking about the awards, Prof. Nobel said, "In healthcare, challenges are overwhelming and criticism all too common. Celebrating positive accomplishments publicly not only recognises the individual efforts of the award recipients, but also provides balance and a positive of our common effort to improve the health and quality of life for people throughout the region."

The Middle East Arab Health awards, sponsored by Al Zahra Hospital, Philips Medical Systems, GE Medical Systems, the Saudi German Hospitals Group and Stryker, will be presented across 10 categories at a gala dinner and award ceremony on January 20, during Arab Health 2004.

Tickets to attend the gala dinner are available to Arab Health 2004 visitors, exhibitors and other healthcare professionals.

Arab Health 2004 and its associated comprehensive conference programme - to be held at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre (DIEC) from January 18-21 - will be the biggest ever in the event's 29 year history, featuring over 1,250 participants from more than 50 countries.

Arab Health is officially supported by the UAE Ministry of Health and the Dubai Department of Health and Medical Services and the lead sponsor of the event is Dubai Healthcare City -one of the most innovative healthcare projects in the world.