Emirati-German Healthcare Congress commenced in Dubai

A number of officials and experts in the fields of medicine and healthcare from the UAE, Germany and other Arab countries will be present at the Congress.

On behalf of His Excellency Mr. Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al Owais, the conference was opened by Dr. Amin Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licenses at the Ministry of Health, in the presence of numerous Healthcare leaders.

During his opening speech Dr. Amin Al Amiri pointed into attention of the UAE government to support the healthcare sector and to encourage international investment in this domain. He also indicated the importance of the strong relationship between the United Arab Emirates and Germany in the medical field, and the significance of such conferences.

Not only are they important in attracting global expertise in different medical fields but are also beneficial for UAE nationals who work in the medical field in particular, and the Gulf in general in terms of enhancing their experiences and improve their capabilities and skills.

Dr. Amin Al Amiri furthermore praised the joint cooperation between the Ministry of Health and Germany, especially the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, saying that the conference is a model of the strategic partnership between health and educational institutions. He also highlighted the participation of more than ten University Hospitals from the United Arab Emirates and Germany, in addition to health bodies operating in the country, and the Ministry of Health.

The German-Emirati Healthcare congress headed by Prof. Dr. Christian Juergens, medical director at the emergency hospital Hamburg (BUKH) addresses several topics including healthcare-management, education, orthopaedic surgery and trauma, gastroenterology, interventional cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery, glands' disorders and endocrine surgery, breast surgery, interventional radiology and diabetes.

In her opening remarks the Undersecretary of Health and Consumer Protection H.E. Mrs. Elke Badde pointed out a brochure featuring the City of Hamburg as a destination for international patient care for visitors from the Gulf. "This brochure is based on an idea of His Excellency Minister Al Owais at last year's Arab Health exhibition and presents information about Hamburg hospitals and tourist attractions in Arabic and in English", she added.

"The healthcare provision in our city is excellent. There are around 50 hospitals with nearly 12.000 beds. Every year, close to 450.000 patients are treated. The hospitals employ more than 27.000 people to ensure a high standard of treatment. Within the ambulant sector, there are more than 10.000 doctors. This infrastructure is not only beneficial for the inhabitants of Hamburg, but also for international patients" she said.

According to H.E. the Undersecretary of Health and Consumer Protection Mrs. Elke Badde the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf plays a key role. "It is one of the most modern hospitals in Europe, provides maximum care and is known at the international level for its high level treatment and research" she explained.

"The emergency hospital Hamburg (BUKH) is famous for its expertise in hand surgery, the treatment of severe burns and its paraplegic centre. The Helios Endo-Hospital has achieved a world reputation from its continuous research and clinical experience in the field of bones, joints, and spinal surgery. The high standard of the medical care in Hamburg has drawn increasing numbers of international patients over the years. For example, about 400 patients from the Arab Region are treated in the University Medical Centre each year" said H.E. Mrs. Elke Badde.

"The Hamburg Ministry of Health and Consumer Protection and the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, would like to offer this excellent service to even more patients from the Gulf States," she acknowledged.

Representing the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, its Director Dr. Gabriele Rose pointed out the long-standing relationship between Hamburg and the Arab States.

"Talking to you today we are at the same time working on the next big event: the 4th Dubai Hamburg Business Forum, which will take place in Hamburg in the second half of this year - of course again in perfect joint cooperation with the Dubai Chamber of Commerce," she said.

Furthermore Dr. Gabriele Rose accentuates that the long-standing relationship between Hamburg and the Arab States provides an ideal basis for deepening and strengthening the cooperation, in particular in the field of medicine, because it is based on trust and reliability.

She added that patients from the Arab states have appreciated Hamburg and its medical excellence for decades and many facilities have treated Arab patients for a long time and offered them and their families a comprehensive service that is tailored to their individual needs.

"In close cooperation with the Hamburg Ministry of Health and particularly the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, whose contributions and support were of immeasurable value for us, we created a brochure and an accompanying website which provides concrete information of what Hamburg has to offer for patients and their families - in the medical field as well as in the cultural and tourism sector," she explained.

The Emirati-German Healthcare Congress jointly organized by the UAE ministry of health, the Hamburg Ministry of Health and Consumer Protection and the Hamburg representative office UAE / Healthcare Industry Service Center aims at bringing together doctors from Germany, the UAE and other Arab countries. It is a platform to
exchange experiences, experiments and research results to explore new ways of treatment. Arab doctors who studied in Germany will also have the opportunity to take part in the congress and reconnect to the country.

The cooperation between Northern Germany and the Gulf region culminated in the year 2012 with the opening of the "Healthcare Industry Service Centre in Dubai", a governmental initiative of the Hamburg State Ministry of Health and Consumer Protection, funded by the European Social Fund. The project was realized in cooperation with Norgenta, North German Life Science Agency. The "Healthcare Industry Service Centre" has been located close to the Hamburg Representative Office in Dubai and operates under its umbrella. The overall aim of the office is to foster already consolidated business relations between the UAE and Hamburg.