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Dubai police raid illegal plastic surgery clinic
Police officers and municipal inspectors have shut down an unlicensed clinic in Dubai where untrained 'surgeons' carried out cosmetic surgery procedures as patients laid on makeshift beds and surgical equipment mingled with kitchen utensils, reported the National. Several people were arrested in the raid, which was conducted after an undercover investigation found that the clinic was offering services such as lip and cheek enlargement, facelifts, laser hair removal, Botox injections and laser plastic surgery at prices far below what legitimate doctors charge.
UAE delays smoking ban
A national ban on smoking in the UAE has been delayed until health officials decide which government bodies will be responsible for its enforcement, the National has reported. The public will be fully informed once the details have been worked out, which could take weeks or months, officials said. 'The law will only become active from the time everything is clarified. It is a complicated law so there is a lot to work out and many different stakeholders to discuss it with,' Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, the head of the National Tobacco Control Committee, told the daily.
Qatari hospital to specialize in children's care
Qatar's Hamad Medical Corp has signed a five-year partnership agreement with Canada-based Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) for the development of its new Children's Hospital, the country's first to specialize in paediatric care. SickKids International will support HMC in planning the development of a paediatric centre of excellence, with a focus on clinical services, evidence based practice, education, training, and research.
Julphar Pharma revenue up 22%
Ras Al Khaimah-based Julphar Pharmaceutical Industries has posted Dhs762m in sales revenue in 2009, up 22% compared to the previous year, Khaleej Times has reported. The company said that sales during that period were driven by private markets which saw a year-on-year growth of 24.9%, against growth in tender sales of 16.9% year-on-year.
Malpractice insurance a must for Saudi doctors
Doctors in Saudi Arabia are now required to have medical malpractice insurance in order to obtain their Health Council certificates, Arab News has reported. Physicians must produce insurance documents valid for three years before receiving their certification. An insurance group, Allied Cooperative Insurance Group (ACIG) has said the policy covers legal liability toward third parties arising out of negligence by doctors. ACIG has designed its policy for all medical professionals, although it is only mandatory for doctors.
Saudi Arabia closes pharmacies near gas stations
Saudi authorities have started shutting down pharmacies that are near or part of gas stations, citing health hazard concerns, Arab News has reported. At least 15 pharmacies have been closed down in Jeddah by the civil defence, costing owners an estimated SR20m. Pharmacists were told by the health ministry the closure was due to the flammable materials inside their pharmacies and that toxic hydrocarbon gas from petrol could affect medicines.
Saudi rejects lab devices
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority said it rejected the entry of 1,384 laboratory and diagnostic devices included in 16 shipments during the fourth quarter of the Islamic calendar, the Saudi press agency has reported. The devices were denied entry mainly because they did not meet the storage recommendations of manufacturers.
Dubai surgeons may need to pass skills test
Dubai is considering new rules that will require surgeons or physicians to pass a skills test before being granted a licence to practice in the emirate. Dubai Health Authority is planning to build a surgical skills laboratory where physicians will be required to take a test, Khaleej Times reported. 'We cannot judge the surgical competency of any physician from paperwork alone. We will also have to see if the surgeon has worked 'solo' or not,' Dr Essa Kazim, CEO Health Policy and Strategy at the authority, told the paper.
Tawam Hospital appoints CEO
Johns Hopkins Medicine International, the international arm of US-based Johns Hopkins Medicine, and the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company have appointed Gregory F. Schaffer to be the new chief executive officer of Tawam Hospital. The hospital, located in Abu Dhabi, is a UAE Joint Commission International (JCI)-accredited health care facility and is owned and operated by SEHA and managed by JHI. Schaffer has more than 30 of years of health care leadership experience. A Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE), Schaffer served as president and chief executive officer of Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore (Md.) for 10 years.
German Orthopaedic hospital opens in Bahrain
Bahrain-based Venture Capital Bank has announced the completion of the German Orthopaedic Hospital in the kingdom, which specialises in the provision of orthopaedics health care in the kingdom. Located at the Bahrain Medical Centre in Manama and operated by orthopaedic surgeons and medical staff from the Germany, the new hospital will initially focus on orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine, including physiological diagnosis, and pain treatment.
Qatar National Cancer Society, SAH ink MoU
The Qatar National Cancer Society and SAH Care, a subsidiary of Strategic Alliance Holdings, have signed a memorandum of understanding to make the next generation of cancer treatment, Proton Therapy, available to cancer patients in Qatar. Through the coordination of end-to-end treatment by SAH Care through its arrangements with the global network of Proton Therapy centres, Qatari cancer patients will see a reduction in time-to-treatment to a matter of weeks.
GE, Gulf Capital to set up diagnostic chain
GE Healthcare has partnered with private equity firm Gulf Capital to develop a regional chain of medical diagnostic and healthcare service centres. The partnership eyes acquisition of existing companies as well as launching greenfield operations with extended services in the areas of medical imaging, laboratory services, physiotherapy, dialysis services and oncology. The alliance targets delivery of the health care services in Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Siemens inks biggest ever MidEast deal
Siemens Healthcare has won its biggest single order contract in the Middle East with the signing of a $69m contract to supply diagnostics imaging equipment to all Iraqi government hospitals. The products, which include magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography equipment, mobile x-rays and mammography systems, help to increase diagnostic confidence, allowing for earlier detection of diseases.
FDG factory opened in UAE
A Dhs80m factory aimed at improving cancer management for patients in the UAE and the region has been inaugurated by the Dubai Health Authority. The new facility, a joint venture with the Al Mulla Group and Monrol UAE, will manufacture the FDG (Flurodeoxglucose) injection that is required for patients who need to undergo PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan.
Pregnancy gender test rolled out in UAE
Pregnant women in the UAE can now take a test to determine the sex of their unborn baby, Gulf News has reported. The test, which is being offered for the first time in the UAE but is widely available across the US and Europe, can be performed as early as seven weeks. Laboratory firm Medsol is offering the test, called 'pink or blue', in Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
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