Philips Electronics presents 'Philips Pioneer Award' to UAE medical pioneer

Ian Lauritzen, Regional Director, Philips Medical Systems, Middle East, praised B.R. Shetty, CEO and Managing Director of the NMC Group, during a ceremony at the Philips stand at the Arab Health 2004 Congress in Dubai.

"Mr. B.R. Shetty has worked tirelessly to provide residents of the United Arab Emirates with the best possible hospital care and services. For almost 10 years we at Philips have worked in partnership with Mr. Shetty to achieve this goal. By being a pioneer in bringing the first Philips Open Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner to the region in 2002, he demonstrated his commitment to his patients and to a vision that understood the medical needs of this country," Lauritzen said.

Philips has achieved 75% annual market share last year in the Middle East, in Low Field Open MRI systems with its Panorama 0.23T system. The Panorama is a truly open system with a side entry that means patients won't get claustrophobic and can have a loved one at their side throughout an examination. With its unique design, most tests can be conducted with the head outside the machine.

"We have worked diligently over the years to continually grow our range of high-quality medical services for the people of the UAE. All along the way, Philips Medical Systems has provided advice, information and the world's best diagnostic and treatment equipment to help us reach our ever-expanding goals," Shetty said.

The NMC Group operates hospitals in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah and is finishing construction of a specialty hospital in Dubai. The group also runs the Neopharma pharmaceutical plant in Abu Dhabi, among other companies.

The four-day Arab Health Congress at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre was the ideal setting for the award ceremony. The Congress is one of the world's fastest growing events of its kind and is the largest gathering of health professionals in the Middle East, with 1,600 exhibitors from more than 50 countries.