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Construction begins on new Abu Dhabi hospital
United Eastern Medical, Abu Dhabi's healthcare investment and development firm, has begun construction works on Danat Al Emarat Women & Children's Hospital. Located in the Officers City area of Abu Dhabi, the $150m Danat Al Emarat Hospital will provide critically needed maternity and neonatal services in Abu Dhabi when it begins operations by the end of 2011. The 200-bed facility will be managed by Singapore-based healthcare operators ParkwayHealth.
Bahrain sets up special clinics
Bahrain has set up 22 special flu clinics across the kingdom to reduce the numbers of people visiting the accident and emergency department of Salmaniya Medical Complex for flu treatment, Gulf Daily News has reported. The clinics, which have been set up with the cooperation of the primary health care services that have designated staff for the purpose, will receive only patients with flu or flu-like symptoms.
Egypt says it will not produce H1N1 vaccine locally
The Egyptian Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Centre has said that the H1N1 vaccine will not be produced in the country, but will be purchased from international pharmaceutical companies, the Daily News Egypt has reported. Egypt has booked some 5 million doses of the new vaccine, which will be received in stages by next year.
Patients charged for H1N1 tests in Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi hospitals are charging patients up to Dhs1,000 ($272) for swine flu tests, which are free in Dubai, The National has reported. Patients, wary of the side effects of Tamiflu, have been demanding the tests in order to avoid taking the anti-viral drug unless they are specifically infected. However, the tests are often unnecessary, as the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said it recommends that otherwise healthy patients who have flu-like symptoms but no other complications need not be treated with antivirals or tested for the virus.
Saudi pharmaceutical market expected to rise
The Saudi pharmaceutical market is expected to post a compound annual growth rate of 5.66% until 2013, according to a report by Business Monitor International. At consumer prices, BMI expects spending in this sector to increase from $2.65bn in 2008 to $3.49bn by 2013. However, strict price controls, alongside biased regulatory and intellectual property regimes designed to protect the local industry will have a negative impact on the market development, as will the need to contain costs in healthcare, the report noted.
Kuwait to provide 2 million vaccines for swine flu
Following the announcement of the sixth swine flu death in the country, Kuwait's health ministry said about 2 million A(H1N1) vaccines will be made available, including 145,000 by the end of the year, Al-Watan Daily has reported. Hajj pilgrims and health sector workers will be primarily vaccinated, followed by those suffering from chronic illnesses as well as children, the ministry said. Vaccines not endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) will not be allowed, the ministry noted.
Oman allows private clinics to treat H1N1
Oman's Ministry of Health has approved some private health institutions as centres to dispense H1N1 medications at no cost for citizens and residents in the Sultanate, Oman Times has reported. The medical consultation and diagnosis would be according to the regulations of each health institution, the source added.
Jordan H1N1 student cases up
The Jordanian Ministry of Education has said the total number of students who contracted A H1N1, in schools across the kingdom rose to 37, Kuna has reported. Twenty of the students left hospital after recovery, while the rest remained on medication and their condition was stable, the ministry has said. The kingdom's total number of swine-flu cases has reached 185, since the first case was confirmed last June.
Moorfields, Hayati offer medical loans
Moorfields Eye Hospital Dubai has teamed up with Hayati Healthcare, a patient financing company, to offer patients access to financial services offered by Hayati. The medical loans are offered to those without medical insurance or in cases where the medical insurance policy does not cover the treatment required, such as LASIK eye surgery or cosmetic surgery.
Qatar Robotic Centre to launch
Qatar Robotic Surgery Centre (QRSC), an initiative by the Qatar Science & Technology Park, plans to establish local research networks with Qatar-based universities, hospitals, companies and government organisations, in a bid to become a focal point for international expertise in robotic surgery, according to the Gulf Times. QRSC, which is scheduled to begin its activities in early 2010, will be equipped with three Da Vinci medical robots and 10 laparoscopic simulators. Additionally, the centre will have a simulated operating theatre and a 'tele-mentoring suite' where live robotic surgeries will be transmitted in 3D.
Bahrain to use Tamiflu on all flu patients
Bahrain has said that all patients reporting to government or private hospitals and clinics with a fever and flu-like symptoms will automatically be treated as possible swine flu victims and given anti-viral treatment (Tamiflu). High-risk patients with flu-like symptoms will be given Tamiflu even if they do not have a fever, the government said. These include pregnant women, children aged under five, people with heart disease, sickle cell or suffering from obesity and others.
Jordanian, US firms ink stem cell deal
The Jordanian Stem Cell Company has signed a five year multi-million dollar agreement with US-based Stemedica Cell Technologies, Inc. (Stemedica) to purchase stem cell and related technology from Stemedica's wholly-owned subsidiary, Stemedica International. Under the agreement, Stemedica International will provide their cell technology to the Jordanian firm and actively support their development and implementation of a clinical trial for burns.
Bahrain sets aside 5.5m dinars for swine flu
Bahrain's government has earmarked BD5.5m for securing vaccines for swine flu cases, KUNA has reported. Last week, the kingdom had declared three deaths as a result of the communicable disease.
Novartis to supply Oman swine flu vaccines
Thaiba Pharmacy, which represents Swiss-based Novartis in Oman, has said the drug maker was in final stage discussions with the Sultanate's Health Ministry to supply Celtura, its H1N1 vaccine, the Oman Observer has reported. The company has pledged an initial batch of 100,000 doses of Celtura for the first round of immunizations, targeting priority segments of the population. Novartis's could supply between 600,000 and one million doses of the vaccine, depending upon Oman's requirements, Thaiba Pharmacy said.
GCC doctors get grants for diabetes research
Sanofi-aventis has awarded five Gulf doctors with grants to improve diabetes management and implement new research, screening and care initiatives to prevent and treat diabetes across the Gulf. The grants, which are part of Sanofi's 'DEVOTED' initiative, were launched in the Middle East in 2007 to improve and support the management and treatment of diabetes.
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