In the presence of Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Mohammed, Abu Dhabi Youth Council, in collaboration with Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, organises youth circle
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)In the presence of Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, in collaboration with Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, has organised a youth circle titled Health Awareness Among Youth: A Foundation for Quality of Life, with the participation of more than 95 young men and women from across Abu Dhabi.The session aimed to empower youth to play an active role in the advancement of the healthcare sector in Abu Dhabi by deepening their understanding of national health challenges, keeping pace with scientific progress and harnessing their skills to help build a sustainable and health-conscious society aligned with national aspirations.Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa bin Mohammed Al Nahyan expressed his appreciation to the Abu Dhabi Youth Council and Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City for the successful organisation of youth circle and the delivery of meaningful content.He also commended the UAE's efforts in promoting health awareness and emphasised the importance of investing in youth engagement within the healthcare sector, recognising them as key partners in building a healthier and more sustainable future.The youth circle addressed several key themes, including the importance of health awareness as a national priority in the lives of youth, the role of innovation and national talent in developing the healthcare sector, supporting genetic research to develop health-ready generation, and the launch of strategic initiatives aimed to engage youth in the public health ecosystem.The session was moderated by Saif Al Mansoori, Chair of the Abu Dhabi Youth Council, and featured speakers Khalid Al Nuaimi, Director General of the Federal Youth Authority, Rashid Obaid Al Suwaidi, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Public Health Center, Marwan Al Kaabi, CEO of Sheikh Shakhbout Medical City, and Professor Habiba Al Safar, Dean of the College of Medicine and Health Sciences at Khalifa University.At the end of the session, the Abu Dhabi Public Health Centre and the Abu Dhabi Youth Council announced a forthcoming collaboration aimed at engaging youth from the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the Public Health Ambassadors Programme.The initiative seeks to promote public health and health education by empowering youth and enabling their participation as active ambassadors.
This collaboration underscores the role of youth in enhancing health awareness, supports the UAE's broader efforts in fostering a more informed and health-conscious society, and contributes to improving overall quality of life in Abu Dhabi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
a day ago
- Al Etihad
Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi marks another milestone with life-saving double lung transplant of Guatemalan patient
1 Aug 2025 00:37 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi has cemented its position as a global leader in complex medical care with the successful double lung transplant of a 66-year-old patient from Guatemala. Performed by a multidisciplinary team from the hospital's Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute and Integrated Hospital Institute, the life-saving procedure is a powerful testament to the hospital's commitment and track record of delivering world-class care across borders. This milestone underlines Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's dedication to expanding access to advanced, high-quality care accessible on a global scale. Oscar Romero López Guillén, who had been battling end-stage pulmonary fibrosis, arrived in Abu Dhabi after exhausting medical options in South Asia, Latin America, Europe, and the United States. Dependent on oxygen 24 hours a day and struggling with even the simplest physical tasks, Oscar faced an uncertain future until he discovered Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's transplant with pulmonary fibrosis in 2016 in Guatemala after a prolonged cough, his condition progressively worsened over nearly a decade. Despite consultations in multiple countries and facing challenging issues like citizenship requirements and limited transplant capabilities and facilities, Oscar remained hopeful. Finally, in late 2024, the Cleveland Clinic global referral system connected him to Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, offering him a new lease on life through the hospital's renowned Lung Transplant Georges-Pascal Haber, Chief Executive Officer at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, 'Oscar's journey is a powerful reminder of what Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi stands for, providing world-class care to patients across the globe. Our multi-organ transplant programme, one of the first in the region, is more than just advanced medical excellence; it's about expertise, compassionate care, and the extraordinary impact of the UAE's Hayat organ donation programme. We are honoured to be a place where both local and international patients can find hope and a second chance. At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, we are committed to ensuring that access to life-saving treatments knows no borders.'Dr. Usman Ahmad, Chair of Thoracic Surgery and Lung Transplantation, Heart, Vascular & Thoracic Institute at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said, "Upon arrival at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Oscar's lungs were barely functioning. Remarkably, he had endured such severe limitations for nearly a decade. After a thorough evaluation by our multidisciplinary lung transplant team, he was listed and underwent a double lung transplant a few weeks later. Today, just weeks after the surgery, Oscar has regained full function, with normal oxygen levels, excellent exercise capacity, and a normal quality of life. His recovery is a testament to the expertise of our team and our ability to provide life-changing care."Upon receiving Oscar's medical records, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's multidisciplinary team, comprising surgical lung transplant specialists and other critical care experts, immediately studied his case in detail. The family was swiftly enrolled in the lung transplant programme, and within weeks, they received the life-changing news that a matching donor organ had become available. Less than a week later, Oscar was admitted to the hospital and began preparations for his early 2025, after ensuring there were no complications, Oscar underwent a successful double lung transplant surgery. His recovery was swift and remarkable. Just 10 days after his admission, Oscar was discharged, breathing on his own, and ready to begin the next chapter of his life. Explaining his condition, Dr. Andres Obeso, Staff Physician, Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, said: 'Oscar arrived at our doors speaking a different language, from a different continent, but the language of healing and helping is human and universal. When we reviewed his case, we found severely impaired lung function, yet no other major comorbidities. That combination, along with his resilience, made him a strong candidate for transplant. A successful lung transplant can add years to a patient's life. In Oscar's case, the surgery, intensive care, and post-transplant rehabilitation were all coordinated seamlessly by our multidisciplinary team. His journey is a testament to what's possible when world-class expertise meets an unshakable human spirit. These are the stories that inspire our mission to provide the best care, no matter where a patient comes from.'Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is home to one of the region's first and most comprehensive lung transplant programmes, and one of the few worldwide that consistently welcomes international patients. Backed by an expert multidisciplinary team, the programme delivers end-to-end care, from in-depth pre-transplant evaluations to surgery and long-term recovery patients like Oscar, the hospital's dedicated International Patient Services team plays an essential role, seamlessly managing everything from travel and visa arrangements to accommodation and care coordination. This integrated approach ensures every patient's journey, from diagnosis to recovery, is as smooth and stress-free as hospital recently reported a 35% increase in international patient volume in 2024, with more than 10,000 international patient visits. Renowned for its excellence in complex care, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi saw increased interest in its advanced services, mainly in the areas of cardiology, ophthalmology, neurology, and urology. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bahrain, and the US are the top five countries from which international patients are travelling to Abu Dhabi in who now lives in the UAE for follow-up care, expressed his gratitude for the treatment that gave him a second chance, 'When I arrived at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, I felt like I had come to Heaven on Earth. The level of care, the kindness of the nurses, the professionalism, it was something I had never experienced before.''For years, I lived attached to an oxygen tank 24 hours a day. It wasn't just physically exhausting; it was a constant reminder that I could stop breathing at any moment. It was frightening, isolating, and incredibly expensive.'What amazed me most was how quickly everything happened. Throughout my long journey, no other hospital could provide an organ in time, but within weeks of arriving here, I was already preparing for surgery. Today, I can breathe, walk, and live again. I thank God, and I thank the incredible team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi who made this miracle possible,' Oscar added. Oscar's story is a reflection of Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi's expanding role in shaping the UAE's future as a global hub for complex care. As a centre of excellence in specialities such as adult cardiac surgery and stroke, the hospital continues to push the boundaries of what's possible in medicine. Powered by its collaboration with the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH), M42, the broader Cleveland Clinic network, and international partners, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi is delivering world-class outcomes and advancing the nation's vision of becoming a destination for medical innovation, excellence, and deeply human-centred care.
Al Etihad
2 days ago
- Al Etihad
Department of Health – Abu Dhabi launches Rewarding Exceptional Quality programme, recognising excellence by healthcare providers
30 July 2025 16:39 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Department of Health – Abu Dhabi (DoH) has launched a new value-based healthcare initiative under its Rewarding Exceptional Quality programme, aimed at incentivising healthcare providers based on the quality of care they programme will initially focus on fertility services and is set to expand to other clinical areas in subsequent phases, further reinforcing Abu Dhabi's position as a world-class healthcare initiative is part of Abu Dhabi's continued commitment to elevating the standard of care across the emirate, where the department will monitor the performance of healthcare facilities based on specific models and facilities will be rewarded with additional incentives for achieving set performance goals within a specified timeframe, such as improving patient outcomes, utilising best medical practices, boosting patient safety, and enhancing the patient Excellency Dr Noura Al Ghaithi, Undersecretary of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi, said, 'At the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, we are committed to raising the bar for healthcare quality in Abu Dhabi. The launch of the Rewarding Exceptional Quality programme reflects our ambition to drive meaningful improvements in clinical performance while rewarding providers that go above and beyond in delivering safe, effective, and patient-centred care.''Fertility services were chosen as the starting point given their strategic importance to public health and the profound impact they have on families. Abu Dhabi has already made tremendous strides in advancing reproductive medicine, and this programme will help accelerate progress even further.'Abu Dhabi has become a leading destination for fertility care, driven by innovation in treatments such as egg freezing, in vitro fertilisation (IVF), and embryo 2025, the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi reported that IVF success rates in the emirate exceeded 51 percent, among the highest globally, with more than 6,180 IVF cycles performed in 2024 emirate is home to 14 advanced fertility centres and more than 2,800 healthcare professionals in obstetrics and gynaecology. This includes 700 specialists and consultants, 375 midwives, and 45 facilities dedicated to women's health.
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Al Etihad
FDA recommends restricting 7-OH opioid products found in some vapes
29 July 2025 19:44 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The US Food and Drug Administration has recommended a scheduling action to control certain 7-hydroxymitragynine (also known as 7-OH1) products that are commonly found in vapes. The FDA is specifically targeting 7-OH, a concentrated byproduct of the kratom plant that is increasingly recognised as having potential for abuse because of its ability to bind to opioid receptors. 'Today, we're taking action on 7-OH as a critical step in the fight against opioid addiction,' said HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.'We will protect the health of our nation's youth as we advance our mission to Make America Healthy Again.'This recommendation follows a thorough medical and scientific analysis by the FDA, and is one of several efforts to address the agency's concerns around the growing availability and use of 7-OH opioid products. There are no FDA-approved 7-OH drugs, 7-OH is not lawful in dietary supplements and 7-OH cannot be lawfully added to conventional foods. 'Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH. After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again,' said FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.'7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine. We need regulation and public education to prevent another wave of the opioid epidemic.'The FDA is particularly concerned with the growing market of 7-OH products that may be especially appealing to children and teenagers, such as fruit-flavored gummies and ice cream cones. These products may not be clearly or accurately labeled as to their 7-OH content and are sometimes disguised or marketed as kratom. The FDA has issued a letter to health care professionals, and has warned consumers about the risks associated with 7-OH products. Source: Aletihad - Abu Dhabi
