UAE health officials visit Imperial to gain ideas for health system reform

A delegation of officials from the UAE Health Ministry visited Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation yesterday to glean ideas for a new UAE health system based on equity and quality of service.

A delegation of officials from the UAE Health Ministry visited Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation today to glean ideas for a new UAE health system based on equity and quality of service.

Lord Darzi addresses the delegation.

• Read about Lord Darzi's visit to the UAE 'Arab Health 2011' conference

The delegation was met by Imperial’s Institute of Global Health Innovation (IGHI) Chairman Professor the Lord Ara Darzi. They were presented with a series of talks on how Imperial can support the UAE in health education for politicians, policy-makers and clinicians.

Outlining the change in the disease trend in the UAE from infectious disease prevalence in 1970s to the rise of chronic diseases in today’s population, Dr Mahmoud Fikri, UAE Assistant Undersecretary for Health Policies, spoke on the need for the UAE to meet the new demands on the health system whilst maintaining equity and adhering to national health quality standards.

Training civil servants

Inspired by their visit to the NHS Dr Fikri and Khalid Lootah, UAE Acting assistant Undersecretary for Support Services, were particularly interested in the prospect of enrolling civil servants in the health policy short courses and Masters programme offered by IGHI’s Centre for Health Policy. This idea was supported by Professor Salman Rawaf, Director of Imperial’s WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training, who commented on the importance for civil servants and health officials to see different health systems.

Training clinicians

Dr Roger Kneebone gave an inspiring talk on the role simulated operating theatres can play in training surgical staff and engaging the general public. In the UAE death rates from road traffic accidents are high. Ambulances carrying trauma patients are often unable to drive to a hospital with surgical staff due to congestion on the roads. Simulated surgical theatre would be a good way to train clinicians in smaller, local hospitals on trauma surgery.

Fostering international learning

Michael MacDonnell, Policy Fellow at IGHI’s Centre for Health Policy, outlined the purposes of the centre and Imperial’s first global health conference event that aims to promote interdisciplinary discussion on regional and international health issues. The conference will consist of a series of forums that aim to give health professionals, clinicians, policy makers and politicians from across the globe an opportunity to learn from one another and discuss global health challenges.