World Lupus Day: AIA empowers community through autoimmune awareness initiative
10 May 2025 08:47
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)In observance of World Lupus Day on May 10, the Autoimmune Association (AIA) recently hosted a workshop aimed at raising awareness about autoimmune conditions and helping individuals recognise symptoms early.The AIA partnered with the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment for the event that brought together specialists, media representatives, as well as ministry employees.Dr. Eman Al Hashimi, Founder and President of BoD in AIA, presented an in-depth session exploring the nature of autoimmune diseases, their most common types, and the critical importance of early detection and innovative treatment strategies. She also addressed key contributing factors, such as genetic and environmental triggers, the role of lifestyle and nutrition, and the diseases' profound psychological and social impact on patients.
Speaking to Aletihad on the sidelines of the event, Dr. Al Hashimi explained how raising awareness about lupus supports the broader mission of the AIA. "Raising awareness about lupus helps shine a light on the wider group of autoimmune diseases that are often misunderstood or misdiagnosed. It's not just about one disease — it is about changing how people view invisible illnesses, and that's at the core of AIA's mission.'The workshop aimed to equip the public with essential knowledge about autoimmune diseases, empowering them to make informed decisions when faced with these conditions or associated symptoms. 'With this workshop, I hoped we could break down the fear and confusion around autoimmune conditions, and help people recognize symptoms early. Early detection can make a huge difference in someone's quality of life,' Dr. Al Hashimi said. The event was supervised by Dr. Atheer Al Ansari, AIA's Chief Medical Consultant, who facilitated discussions and enriched the audience's understanding of comprehensive patient care strategies.The workshop drew strong community engagement, reflecting growing public interest in autoimmune health and reinforcing the association's mission to bridge the gap between medicine and society.Dr. Al Hashimi emphasised the importance of involving the community in discussions around healthcare.
'Community outreach allows us to meet people where they are — it turns medical knowledge into something personal and accessible. Collaborating with partners like the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment amplifies that message and builds trust across different sectors of society.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Etihad
3 days ago
- Al Etihad
UAE rises as global medical tourism hub with Abu Dhabi leading the way, says expert
2 June 2025 00:19 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)By combining world-class healthcare with luxury and exceptional patient support, the UAE is emerging as a leading medical tourism destination in the region, and Abu Dhabi is keeping pace with this growth, an industry expert has said. Speaking to Aletihad , Danish Ahmed, CEO and Founder of global health travel platform Healthtrip, said the country's healthcare sector has 'undergone remarkable transformation' over a decade. 'Renowned surgeons from top medical hubs, including the US, Germany, the UK, and India are now practising in the UAE,' Ahmed said. 'With a wide array of cosmetic clinics, a diverse cultural environment, and a variety for all ages, the UAE offers not only top-tier healthcare but also a comprehensive, family-friendly travel experience.'The country is investing in wellness resorts while advancing medical research in genetics, longevity, and AI-driven healthcare — all in addition to hosting world-class institutions like Cleveland Clinic, Burjeel Medical City, and American Dhabi, in particular, has become a go-to destination for those seeking first-class cosmetic, dental, and specialised medical treatments, he said. The emirate has built top-class infrastructure and leading surgeons from around the world would readily fly in to provide the services. Abu Dhabi today is home to world-class medical institutions ... These investments ensure that the emirate — and the UAE at large — is poised to remain at the forefront of health and medical tourism for years to come,' Ahmed said. In terms of pricing, rates in the UAE are comparable to those in medical tourism hotspots, such as Thailand and Malaysia; hence, it has become a top alternative for many patients from different parts of the world, the expert the country offers more than just competitive rates. 'Competitiveness is not about price; it is about experience. The UAE's offerings are parallel to advanced countries in quality and on par with Thailand and Malaysia in pricing. For GCC, Africa, and Central Asia patients, it is increasingly the first choice.'Cosmetic and dental services remain high in demand among medical tourists; however, there has recently been a notable shift in patient needs. More patients are travelling for advanced, specialised treatments, such as 'cancer care, organ transplants, orthopaedic treatments, stem cell therapies, and full-body health checkups', Ahmed said. For those seeking these services, the UAE is a good fit considering the country's cutting-edge medical infrastructure, commitment to innovation, and reputation for high-quality care. Need for Awareness As the country gains popularity as a health tourism hub, one of the factors it needs to work on is awareness, Ahmed said. 'Many patients are still unaware that the UAE offers care that rivals or even surpasses traditional medical tourism hubs in Western countries or even in Asia. Affordability also plays an important role for patients but often misunderstood as a barrier,' Ahmed said. However, technology, communication, and human support all help bridge the initial trust gap, he added. 'Trust is fundamental to health travel,' Ahmed said, highlighting the importance of guaranteeing quality across trust and quality in global healthcare requires rigorous evaluation of hospitals, prioritising patient safety, clinical excellence, and transparency. This approach integrates real-time monitoring, continuous feedback, and active collaboration with healthcare providers. Partnerships with hospitals and health authorities further strengthen the delivery of region-specific, reliable care for patients from diverse backgrounds, the expert said. Economic Strategy Ahmed believes health tourism is well aligned with the UAE's diversified economic strategy. 'Health tourism fits beautifully into the UAE's vision for a diversified, happiness-focused and knowledge-based economy. It stimulates key sectors of technology, healthcare, hospitality, aviation, insurance and even fintech,' he said. 'Health-led travel attracts high-value visitors and creates numerous skill-based job opportunities for the resident population,' Ahmed said.
Al Etihad
25-05-2025
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi poised to lead in stem cell therapy, research with cutting-edge biobank
25 May 2025 23:17 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)With a state-of-the-art biobank located in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi is positioning itself as a regional leader in stem cell therapy and biomedical research, eventually eliminating the need for UAE citizens and residents to seek personalised, life-saving treatments Abu Dhabi Biobank is the region's largest multi-modal cord blood collection and storage facility. It offers private cord blood banking services at a fraction of prevailing market rates and also functions as a pan-human biobank, a world-class resource supporting biomedical innovation and personalised healthcare.'The ambition is to do something similar (to the UK Biobank) in Abu Dhabi: Following large numbers of people throughout their lives, understanding their lifestyles, their genetics, their occupation and the other things that influence their health and try to really unpick those details as to what is protective of health and what is deleterious to health,' said Paul Downey, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Biobank, M42, in an interview with collecting umbilical cord blood through its private services, the facility also stores donated samples from families who chose to contribute rather than discard the tissue. To date, more than 1,000 units have been banked — potentially life-saving resources for patients in need of stem cell treatment within the UAE or across the region.'At the moment, people are travelling overseas for stem cell therapy to Europe and the US.' But this could be a compromise, Downey stressed, 'because the stem cell unit you will receive in London or New York will not be as closely genetically matched as if it were a stem cell unit donated in Abu Dhabi'.With the support of the Department of Health – Abu Dhabi, the biobank uses HLA typing to ensure the best biological match between donors and recipients, maximising success rates and minimising rejection.'People from the same ethnicity, same background, have a closer HLA match than somebody living in the UK, the US or Southeast Asia. So, it is important to collect stem cells locally, which is obviously what we're doing,' Downey cell therapy is still considered an emerging field of medicine. 'It falls under the category of regenerative medicine, and I think it is particularly interesting in the fact that it can treat a wide range of diseases.'Currently, umbilical cord blood is used to treat more than 80 serious conditions, but this number is bound to increase, he added. Expanding Stem Cell TreatmentsAbu Dhabi Biobank's dual approach — encompassing both therapeutic and research functions — is what sets it apart. 'We help facilitate stem cell research into how the stem cells can be used to treat other diseases where it is not currently licensed, so through clinical trials,' Downey biobank's research arm supports studies to expand stem cell treatments beyond the current 80 approved vision aligns closely with the work of the Omics Centre of Excellence, another cornerstone of Abu Dhabi's scientific ecosystem.'The Omics Centre of Excellence focuses on human genetics and, in particular, the Emirati Genome Programme and whole genome sequences in general,' Downey genetics is just one layer of the picture. 'Health and disease are a function of your genetics, but also your lifestyle, your occupation, the decisions that you make, things that you are exposed to, pollution, etc. So to understand health and disease, you need access to genetic information and exposure information.' Successful Transplant Eyed This YearFor Downey, Abu Dhabi's biobank is not just about research, it is about health transformation. 'By catalysing biomedical research through the development of this research resource, we will encourage investment in health innovation within the region.'There is, in fact, a growing interest from major pharmaceutical companies, he said.'We are helping facilitate that by developing the resources they need to do their research and biomedical innovation development,' Downey said, pointing to the bank's tumour samples, electronic medical records, and exposure data as major year, Abu Dhabi Biobank is hoping to 'successfully enable a transplant in Abu Dhabi'. 'If we come together, we can make a difference in the world and help develop the Abu Dhabi Biobank. We will surely see innovations, beneficial to people locally, but globally. Those innovations will arise within Abu Dhabi, which is extremely exciting,' Downey said.
Al Etihad
18-05-2025
- Al Etihad
Emirati doctor leads groundbreaking initiative in cancer treatment
18 May 2025 22:17 SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)An Emirati doctor is leading a groundbreaking initiative in cancer treatment - and once completed, it will significantly reduce the cost of advanced immunotherapy that could potentially cure patients with certain types of UAE is set to have its first local facility for manufacturing CAR T-cells, which are used in a type of immunotherapy that could cure specific blood cancers. At the helm of the initiative is Dr. Ajlan Al Zaki, Director of the Burjeel Haematology Oncology & Cellular Therapy Centre and a leading UAE specialist in CAR T-cell immunotherapy."We are starting to manufacture CAR T-cells locally in the UAE," said Dr. Al Zaki, who is taking part in the Make it in the Emirates forum that kicks off on Monday. Through the CAR T-cell route, a patient's own immune system - specifically the T cells - is used to recognise cancer cell targets and attack them. "Prior to the development of this type of therapy, patients with refractory leukaemias and lymphomas had poor outcomes. Now CAR T is a curative therapy for many of these patients and has revolutionised the treatment landscape for many haematological malignancies," Dr. Al Zaki told Aletihad. Conducting the manufacturing process within the country "significantly impacts accessibility and affordability of these therapies", the specialist added. The use of local talent and facilities will not only reduce costs, it will also ensure that the treatment will be available to patients as soon as possible."It enables us to avoid shipping and manufacturing costs abroad and provide rapid, on-site manufacturing to provide timely delivery of these treatments before patients deteriorate. It also allows us to use fresh, never-frozen immune cells, which have their own anti-cancer benefits," Dr. Al Zaki said. Instead of having to wait several weeks for cells manufactured abroad, patients will be able to receive UAE-made T-cells within days. "The idea is to expand access and democratise the cost of treatments, so more patients, not just a narrow subset, can benefit. What we are doing here will offer the same quality as other leading therapies worldwide, but at a fraction of the cost," Dr. Al Zaki said. The UAE has become a leading hub for clinical and biotechnological innovation, the expert said. Such advancements not only strengthen the country's global reputation, they also mean patients no longer have to travel abroad for complex care and management of chronic illnesses."In fact, patients are now starting to travel to the UAE to obtain more complex care. This is all due to the vision of our leaders to cast a wider net to enable accessibility and affordability of care," he added. Serving His CountryAfter years of international training, Dr. Al Zaki has returned to serve his country, and for him, the move has become a turning point in his career. "I am honoured to be part of this movement to advance healthcare in the UAE. Individual efforts are not enough; you need to build the team and the infrastructure around it. It is exciting to help shape a healthcare system that has evolved so rapidly," he said. His long-term vision is to see Abu Dhabi emerge as a global hub in oncology and healthcare innovation. "The UAE can become the number one destination for treatment; not just in the region, but globally. And that includes nurturing the next generation, giving them the education, tools, and experience to build an ecosystem rooted in science, clinical excellence, and innovation."
