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Mobile phone to measure health
A research team at Jordan's Princess Sumaya University for Technology has developed a system that measures oxygen level concentration in the blood using infrared rays, conducts electrocardiography and measures body temperature - all using a patient's mobile phone. Based on Bluetooth technology, the results can be displayed on the phone, saved and sent to a medical specialist. The project's main aim is help those living in remote areas.
HoldiPharma opens cold chain pharmacy in Egypt
Egypt's Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals has opened its EGP3.5m cold chain pharmacy, in Bab El Louk, for biological products. It can store products at temperatures ranging between 2°C and 8°C from the point of manufacturing to administration, the company said. "As biologics outnumber ordinary drugs, cold chains will be an integral part of storing and delivering drugs," Dr Magdy Hassan, Chairman of HoldiPharma and the Pharmaceutical Cosmetics & Appliances' Chamber said.
Makkah hotels to provide doctors for flu
Hotels in Makkah will be provided with resident doctors by Umrah companies as a precautionary measure to contain a potential swine flu outbreak, Arab News has reported. Saad Al-Qurashi, chairman of Haj and Umrah Committee at Makkah Chamber of Commerce and Industry has said that resident doctors would be provided through the Health Affairs Committee at the chamber. The doctors would detect cases of diseases among pilgrims and treat them.
Al Ain opens maternity ward
Al Ain Hospital has announced the launch of its renovated Labour and Delivery Section. The new section features include six specialised Stryker birthing beds, a self-contained hi-tech operating table, blood gas analyzer, CTG machines that enable continuous electronic fetal monitoring of baby's heart rate and the mother's labour contractions, top-of-the range anaesthetic and ultrasound machines and iLED cold lights that eliminate the patient discomfort resulting from high energy surgical lights. Al Ain Hospital is managed by VAMED and the Medical University of Vienna and is owned and operated by the Abu Dhabi Health Services Company.
Jordan Pharmacies end insurance deals
Jordan's Pharmacists Association (JPhA) has terminated contracts between pharmacies and health insurance companies, giving insurance companies a deadline of September 12 to rectify their situations and sign new agreements with pharmacies through the JPhA, The Jordan Times has reported. The association has attributed its decision to the Jordan Insurance Federation's stance on regulating the relations between insurance companies and pharmacies, which, according to a JPhA statement, prevents pharmacies from enjoying their full rights.
Dubai to push e-cigarette ban
The Dubai Municipality has said that it will recommend a ban on electronic cigarettes, as tests carried out by the municipality have found the electronic device to be a health hazard which contains carcinogens and toxic materials, according to the Khaleej Times. 'There is general agreement in the GCC Tobacco Control Committee that e-cigarettes should not be circulated in the [Gulf] market as therapy,' Dr Wedad Al Maidoor, head of Tobacco Control Team at the MoH has said.
Tawuniya wins Saudi Telco insurance deal
The Company for Cooperative Insurance (Tawuniya), the largest Saudi insurer by market value, has signed a SR507.1m ($135.2m) agreement to provide health insurance to Saudi Telecom Co, Bloomberg has reported. The agreement with the phone company is for three years, starting from October 1, the company has said.
Saudi H1N1 cases grow
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health has said the number of swine flu cases in the kingdom has hit 2,000 since the H1N1 virus outbreak began, of which 14 fatalities suffering from chronic diseases have been reported, according to Kuna. The ministry said that the recovery rate stood at 95%.
Saudi bans anti-smoking drugs
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Health has banned two popular smoking cessation drugs as their side-effects include suicidal tendencies, the Saudi Gazette has reported. The drugs containing varenicline, with the trade name of Champix from Pfizer, and Bupropion were banned after the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) had issued a black box warning, the toughest warning on risks associated with a medicine, on serious mental health risks of the drugs.
Kuwait denies WHO pricing allegations
Kuwait's health ministry has denied reports by the World Heath Organisation that the medicine in Kuwait is 'overـpriced,' Al-Watan has reported. The report by the international body has said that pricing in Kuwait's private sector is sometimes double the original price. However, the pricing of medicine in Kuwait is subject to 'strict and efficient regulations,' the ministry has said.
Qatar to launch genetics centre
Qatar has announced that it plans to establish a state-of-the-art genetics centre, the Gulf Times has reported. The endocrine testing centre is part of the Newborn Screening Programme being conducted jointly by Hamad Medical Corporation and Heidelberg University Children's Hospital in Germany. The centre is to receive accreditation in October.
Noor Dubai reaches 5m beneficiaries
Noor Dubai, a medical eye care initiative launched in September last year, has reported 5,486,630 people benefiting from treatment and prevention initiatives through medical camps organized in countries such as Pakistan, Sudan, Yemen, Chad, Niger, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Cameroon. The initiative is in the process of becoming a permanent organisation.
Sheikh Khalifa Medical City launches imaging system
Abu Dhabi's Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), which is managed by the Cleveland Clinic, has launched a new Electronic Imaging System to manage the storage, retrieval and viewing of all radiological images in an electronic format. The system will improve patient care and safety, enhance patient confidentiality, and eliminate unnecessary scanning of films and duplication of testing, SKMC has said.
Bahrain pharmaceutical market at $118m by 2013
According to a report by Research and Markets, Bahrain's total pharmaceuticals market value is expected to increase from $115m in 2008, to $118m by 2013, with a compound annual growth rate of only 0.52% in US dollar terms. 'The over-the-counter drug market is expected to undergo a modest decline during our forecast period, with compound annual growth only -1.31% through to 2013,' the report said. The prescription drug market will rise from $102m in 2008 to $106m by 2013, the report said, adding that the kingdom's government is moving slowly toward a more pro-generic drug policy in light of rising prescription prices.
Qatar confirms 350 H1N1 cases
Qatar's Supreme Council for Health has said that 1,150 suspected cases of flu have been reported in the country out of which 350 A(H1N1) influenza cases have been confirmed. Most of the cases have recovered fully, while some 50 cases are still receiving treatment, the Council has said. Qatar has the third largest number of swine flu cases in the GCC, after Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, according to the latest WHO reports.
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