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Mid East Info
28-01-2025
- Health
- Mid East Info
Health Leaders at Arab Health 2025 Highlight UAE's Progress in Women's Healthcare, Call for Continued Collaboration
Experts share insights and experiences, emphasizing the importance of global and regional partnerships for advancing women's health during closed-door panel hosted by Mass General Brigham. Dubai-UAE:January 2025 – Global healthcare leaders and national policymakers on Tuesday convened at the 50th edition of the Arab Health Exhibition, held at the Dubai World Trade Center, to discuss systemic challenges women continue to face in healthcare and the strides being made to close these gaps. The thought-provoking panel titled, 'Advancing Healthcare for Women in the Middle East and North Africa,' was hosted by Mass General Brigham, a world-class academic healthcare system. Esteemed panelists included Her Excellency Dr. Maryam Matar, Founder and Chairperson of the UAE Genetic Diseases Association (UAEGDA), Dr. Nawal Nour, Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mass General Brigham, Farouk Shamas Jiwa, Director of Government Relations and Communications, META at Organon, and Dr. Kalthoom Alblooshi, Director of the Training and Development Center and Chief Innovation Officer at Emirates Health Services. In 2025, the UAE dedicated AED 5.745 billion (8% of the federal budget) to healthcare and community prevention initiatives[1] and extended mandatory health insurance for private sector workers and domestic employees, set to come into effect this year. This follows the Cabinet's adoption of the National Policy for Improving Women's Health in 2024, ensuring women's access to comprehensive, top-tier healthcare. This progress provided a powerful backdrop for the convening, highlighting opportunities for collaboration and innovation in the region. Participants shed light on the critical healthcare disparities faced by women and celebrated the ongoing efforts to create more equitable and inclusive healthcare systems across the MENA. Her Excellency Dr. Maryam Matar opened the conversation by sharing her views on the UAE's forward-thinking policies in bringing women's health to the forefront of national development and priorities, 'The progress we are seeing in the UAE is a direct result of our leadership's' focus on gender-sensitive reforms. As we continue to break barriers, the emphasis must remain on making women's healthcare universally accessible, high-quality, and tailored to their distinct needs.' Bringing to the forum a global perspective, Dr. Nawal Nour addressed the need for more gender-specific healthcare research and a shift in the way women's health is perceived: 'It's essential that we acknowledge and address the health needs unique to women, as their health and well-being are integral to the strength of families, communities, and societies. The Middle East is not alone in this journey. Globally, it's up to all of us – policymakers, researchers, doctors, nurses, and the public, to improve women's health. To make a difference and improve the lives of women, everyone has a role to play – whether it's developing an initiative or contributing to innovative discovery. Now is the time to invest in the women's health.' Farouk Shamas Jiwa pointed out, 'We urgently need greater investment in women's health – with only 1% of R&D currently addressing female-specific conditions outside oncology. Women often express different symptoms for the same diseases, highlighting the critical need for better representation in clinical trials. Companies such as Organon are committed to partner and collaborate to championing transformation in health outcomes for women across the region.' Dr Kalthoom Alblooshi highlighted, 'Advancing women's health is not just about women – it benefits entire communities. Comprehensive care, including mental health support and education empower women to take charge of their health and improve quality of life for themselves and their communities. By addressing social stigmas that impede timely healthcare access for women, we can ensure holistic, accessible healthcare for all.' The panel wrapped up with emphasis on a collaborative way forward, stressing the importance of joint efforts between governments, healthcare providers and systems, and the pharmaceutical industry to create systems that empower women to take charge of their health journeys. This future-focused dialogue is set to inform the region's efforts in adopting global best practices. In this context, Mass General Brigham will continue to engage with attendees at Arab Health at its booth in Hall 7, reinforcing its seminal role in advancing women's healthcare. With its integrated, multi-specialty care and research-driven approach, Mass General Brigham is a trusted partner in the GCC's healthcare transformation, sharing expertise and experiences to support national visions and cultivating more inclusive, equitable healthcare systems that meet the needs of every woman. About Mass General Brigham: Headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is an integrated academic healthcare system founded by Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital. It connects the full spectrum of healthcare, from prestigious academic medical centers to local community hospitals and home care services. With five Harvard-affiliated teaching hospitals, Mass General Brigham physicians deliver research-infused subspecialized care to patients with complex medical needs from more than 120 countries. For over 25 years Mass General Brigham has also collaborated with organizations across 40 countries to help to raise local standards of care and improve the health of local communities. Whether addressing complex patient needs at Mass General Brigham hospitals or supporting in-country healthcare initiatives to achieve its healthcare vision, Mass General Brigham look forward to collaborating with partners around the globe.
Khaleej Times
28-01-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
UAE: Advancing women's health is a priority for the country, officials say
The UAE is making significant strides in addressing the unique healthcare needs of women, with a focus on increasing awareness and education. Speaking to Khaleej Times on the sidelines of Arab Health 2025 on Monday, Dr Maryam Matar, founder and president of the Emirates Genetic Diseases Association, emphasised the importance of empowering students in higher education "so they understand the basic physiology of their bodies". This knowledge will help them gain 'a better understanding of epigenetic impact on how our bodies react to different factors," she explained. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. She also stressed the importance of health education, noting that both women and men in families need a deeper understanding of their health. By empowering individuals with proper information and resources, she believes many diseases can be prevented. She also pointed out that one of the simplest and most effective ways to preserve health is ensuring a good night's sleep. Her insights were shared during a panel discussion on 'Advancing Healthcare for Women in the MENA' at Arab Health 2025. Alongside Dr Matar, the panel included three other notable health professionals: Dr Nawal Nour, chair of OBGYN at Mass Brigham hospital, Dr Kalthoom AlBulooshi, chief innovative officer at Emirates Health Services, and Farouk Shamas Jiwa, head of policy and communications META at Organon. 'Invest in women's health' Dr Matar, who made history as the first woman to serve as undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, highlighted the significant gap in gender-specific healthcare, particularly in refugee camps. In many of these settings, healthcare services are not tailored to the unique needs of women. She noted that essential services, such as antenatal care, were often overlooked. She also shared another example from a refugee school in Mali, where the introduction of female-specific bathrooms resulted in a dramatic increase in attendance, underscoring the impact of gender-targeted services in such settings. Other experts echoed Dr Matar's call for more gender-targeted healthcare. Dr Nawal Nour, xhair of OBGYN at Mass Brigham Hospital, emphasised that the Middle East is not alone in the effort to improve women's health. 'Globally, it's up to all of us to improve women's health. Now is the time to invest in women's health," she said. Dr. Kalthoom AlBulooshi, chief innovative officer at Emirates Health Services, further highlighted that improving women's health is not about competing with men but enhancing healthcare for all. 'It's not as if improving women's health will negatively affect men's health,' she stated. 'When we take care of women's health, we are taking care of the health of the whole community." Tackling misconceptions Throughout her career, Dr Matar has worked to dispel harmful misconceptions about women's health. One common belief she encountered was that Down syndrome is inherited from the mother. 'Many of my colleagues used to believe that a young mother's age could impact the likelihood of having a child with Down syndrome,' she explained. In response, she founded the UAE Down Syndrome Society. She also shared a story from Hatta about a family who hid their child with Down syndrome due to the stigma attached to the condition. The family, who had five daughters, was worried that the child's condition would negatively impact the daughters' marriage prospects. 'They were concerned that people would wrongly believe it was the mother's fault,' Dr Matar explained. 'If anyone knew they had a child with Down syndrome, they would assume it was because of the mother and fear that the daughters might pass it on to their own children.' Dr Matar shared how challenging it was to convince people to get their children screened for conditions like Down syndrome. 'With just one step, I was able to get the Ministry to include various types of screenings on a national level,' she explained. She highlighted how the UAE's healthcare system is uniquely positioned to implement changes quickly—something that might take years in other countries. "We can implement changes that would take years in countries like the UK or the US, where legislation often needs to go through Congress," she said. 'In the UAE, if you present a well-researched case, things get done quickly,' she added. 'Women in my country are very fortunate, and we're in a unique position to help improve health services worldwide.' Addressing genetic disorders Dr Matar also recalled a pivotal moment 14 years ago that profoundly influenced her career path. While pursuing a PhD in clinical genetics in Japan, she was taking high doses of longevity pills when a colleague advised her to stop using them during her menstrual cycle. 'It was an eye-opener,' Dr Matar recalled. 'I had never been told to stop taking the supplements during my period.' This revelation prompted her to explore the wider implications of how medications can affect women differently from men, especially during menstruation. Upon reviewing past clinical trials, she found that most did not account for gender differences, leading her to rethink the use of blood pressure medication for women during their periods. "There were no clinical trials that considered this element back in 2011," Dr Matar said, highlighting the lack of gender-specific research. Driven by this discovery, she began lobbying for such research, making significant strides in addressing genetic disorders within the UAE population.
