Saudi Arabia on Sunday lifted most restrictions that had been imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus, permitting indoor dining at restaurants and allowing gyms and barbershops to reopen.

After getting hit hard by the virus last summer, the kingdom has done comparatively well at controlling its epidemic with on-again, off-again restrictions. The country of 34 million, more than one-third of them noncitizens, has recorded more than 379,000 cases and 6,500 deaths.

After a rise in cases, the government on Feb. 3 imposed restrictions on recreational activities that were supposed to last 10 days but were extended for another 20 days.

Under the new rules, indoor dining at restaurants has resumed, with mandatory temperature checks upon entry and no more than five people at tables that must be three meters apart. Movie theaters, gyms and sports centers have also reopened.

Larger events such as weddings, banquets and corporate conferences are still banned, with a 20-person cap on other events.

Saudi Arabia and its wealthy Gulf Arab neighbors have generally fared better against the virus than other countries in the Arab world.

The United Arab Emirates has heavily invested in vaccination and is now a world leader, having given more than 6.2 million vaccines and reaching rate of 63 doses per 100 people, according to government figures.

Kuwait on Sunday imposed a 5 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew for the next month after a rise in cases. Last month, the country had reduced opening hours for nonessential business and barred noncitizens from entering the country. Kuwait also has a strict mandate on face masks in public places; violators can be fined up to $16,000 and given three-month jail terms.

The pandemic has put economic pressures on Gulf states since it has reduced demand for oil and gas, on which the nations rely heavily for income. The pandemic has also increased stress on the millions of low-paid foreign laborers, mostly from South Asia, who do a range of essential jobs. Across the region, many such workers have seen their wages cut, been laid off or had to return home because of lost jobs.

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See: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/07/world/saudi-arabia-covid.html

This ensures that Abu Dhabi will have access to the latest lung cancer screening technology, helping to reduce the toll that the disease takes on our community.

"Screening is at the heart of achieving the UAE Vision 2021 National Agenda, which emphasises the importance of preventive medicine and seeks to reduce cancer and lifestyle-related diseases. Controlling diabetes and cardiovascular diseases ensure a longer, healthy life for citizens, which places great emphasis on preventative care and continuing our success in combatting cancer," said Sheikh Abdulla bin Mohamed Al Hamed, Chairman of Department of Health – Abu Dhabi.

"Receiving this designation from the Department of Health means that even more patients will have access to our advanced lung cancer screening programme. Building on the success of our colleagues at Cleveland Clinic in the United States, this programme will improve outcomes for high-risk patients, something that will save lives," said Dr. Ali Wahla, Medical Director of the Lung Cancer Programme at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

The clinic’s lung cancer screening programme is designed to find the disease in patients before they experience symptoms when it is easier to treat. Bringing together a multidisciplinary team of specialists, the screening process involves a low dose computed tomography scan that creates a detailed cross-section of a patient’s lungs. If detected, the hospital’s lung cancer programme offers a range of treatments including lung resection – widely considered the key treatment for lung cancer - as part of its multidisciplinary lung cancer programme.

"Our lung cancer programme is unique in the Middle East. Patients can be diagnosed and undergo minimally invasive hybrid lung surgery in a single procedure. This approach offers new hope of reducing the toll of this disease," said Dr. Redha Souilamas, Surgical Director of the Lung Cancer Program and Chair of Thoracic Surgery at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

The Department of Health designation means patients from across Abu Dhabi deemed to be at high risk of lung cancer will have easier access to the hospital’s advanced lung cancer screening services through referrals from primary care physicians and family doctors.

Patients between the ages of 55 and 75 and who have a history of heavy smoking are prime candidates for screening.

Studies show that lung cancer screening in such cases reduces the risk of dying from the disease. In Abu Dhabi, cancer remains the third leading cause of death and the main reason residents travel abroad for treatment.

In 2019, the clinic announced the construction of a dedicated oncology centre, modelled on the clinic’s Taussig Cancer Centre in the US. Set to open to patients in 2022, the centre will provide a full range of advanced treatments in a central location and house support services designed to make patients as comfortable as possible as they receive their care.

By Staff Writer, WAM (Emirates News Agency)

© Copyright Emirates News Agency (WAM) 2021.

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See: https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/life/story/Cleveland_Clinic_Abu_Dhabi_designated_as_Lung_Cancer_Screening_Centre-WAM20210119111359638/

JEDDAH: The Saudi Health Ministry has said that its vaccination campaign is key to achieving herd immunity after it revealed that more than 178,000 of the Kingdom’s residents have received a coronavirus disease (COVID-19) jab.

“We aim to provide the vaccine to all and build herd immunity in Saudi Arabia,” said Health Ministry spokesman Dr. Mohammed Al-Abd Al-Aly. “We believe that this is the most powerful way to achieve herd immunity, which in return will provide optimum protection from the virus.”

As a testament to the success of precautionary measures, the number of confirmed cases in the Kingdom has steadily declined since peaking in mid-June last year.

In a press conference on Sunday, the ministry spokesman said that indicators have shown a 97.6 percent decrease in cases since the peak. “This reflects the level of control Saudi Arabia has on the spread of COVID-19,” he said.

The ministry reported 117 new COVID-19 cases, raising the total number of infections since the start of the pandemic in March last year to 363,809.

The number of active cases has dropped below the 2,000 case mark, with 1,970 active cases, 309 of which are in critical care units — an 86.6 percent decrease since a peak during last summer.

Only three of the Kingdom’s 13 regions recorded case numbers in the double digits. Riyadh led with 47, while Makkah and the Eastern Province both recorded 22 cases each. Najran and Al-Jouf reported one case each.
The number of COVID-19-related deaths in the Kingdom has also fallen. With Sunday’s five fatalities, Dr. Al-Abd Al-Aly said that there has been a 91.4 percent decline since the peak mortality rate seen last summer.
There were 166 new recoveries reported, raising the total number of recoveries to 355,548. The Kingdom’s recovery rate remains steady at 97.7 percent.

The spokesman said that the recovery rate rose dramatically following the Kingdom’s battle to detect the disease early and provide patients with top healthcare.

More than 11.3 million polymerase chain reaction tests have been conducted in the Kingdom since the beginning of the pandemic, including 28,324 completed over the past 24 hours.

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See: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1790506/saudi-arabia

The decision of the Authority’s approval of registering the vaccine was based on the data provided by Pfizer on November 24, 2020, as soon as the requirements were completed, the Authority began reviewing and evaluating the registration files from several aspects.

Regarding the arrival date of the vaccine and the start of using it, the Authority said that based on the approval issued today, concerned health authorities will start the import procedures according to concerned standards and requirements. The Authority will analyze samples from each incoming vaccine shipment before using it to ensure its quality. The Ministry of Health will announce the date of the vaccine's arrival and the start of using it after completing import requirements.

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See: https://www.spa.gov.sa/viewfullstory.php?lang=en&newsid=2166947#2166947

The value of environmental, social, and governance assets in investing has grown to $40.5 trillion globally, how has this impacted the strategy of the Tamer Group?

Companies around the globe have to act on their purpose, which now includes not only making profit but adhering to Environment, Social, Governance and Data stewardship (ESG&D). ESG&D considerations are increasing in importance today. Such investment in the ecosystem opens the eyes of all industries to the need to build more sustainable business models with all stakeholders.

Tamer is a family business preparing today to introduce the fourth generation to be part of the management team. For the past 98 years serving the market in Saudi Arabia, Tamer has taken many initiatives to ensure sustainability of the business, which has survived for many generations. We have always kept the 3Ps in our strategy: people, planet and profit.

What changes have you made to make the Tamer Group more sustainable?

We are working to adopt common metrics and to eventually have clear and transparent reporting on the impact we are having on the planet and society, in addition to our other stakeholders. We need to look at climate change, nature loss, and fresh water availability among other things. And for people, we need to look at their wellbeing, dignity, and equality, and of course their skills and development for the future.

Although it sounds simple, I have realized that adopting good governance and focusing on sustainable value creation to all stakeholders is the only way forward. This should of course include our planet. Examples of such metrics under governance includes having a clear purpose for the company and having clear stakeholder engagement as well as ethical behaviors, such as anti-corruption.

We introduced corporate governance, segregation of duties and separation of ownership from management. This journey took almost two years to complete. We adopted a new strategy to serve Saudi patients and consumers through normal and tough periods. We gained the trust of our customers by being committed to serving them by providing the best quality products at the right time. We established our CSR arm, “SA’AID,” to give forward and contribute to the community in various projects.

How does your SA'AID program tie in to the Sustainable Development Goals?

SA’AID in Arabic means “forearm,” which symbolizes the part of the body that connects the body (“the community”) and the hand (“the company”). In English, “SA” is an abbreviation of Saudi Arabia, while “AID” represents reaching out and collaborating.

The Sustainable Development Goals are a complete mission that will require further focus and resources in order to achieve transparent reporting and real progress in this domain. SA’AID is just one arm managing our social community services, which include supporting different projects that focus on leveling up health, education, women empowerment, art and culture, workplace wellness, and community development for different categories of the community.

Where do you think growth in Saudi’s pharma sector will come from over the next ten years?

Saudi’s pharma sector grew from $7 billion in 2015 to $8.6 billion in 2019. Growth drivers for total market were mainly oncology, diabetes, and rheumatological diseases (immunotherapy). Vaccines and other biological drugs will also grow substantially in this market.

The government sector will remain the main driver for growth. The healthcare system in Saudi is and will still be supported by government services. Private sector contribution is increasing with all kinds of privatization initiatives supported by Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, but still the government will have the larger share of contribution.

How has Tamer Group’s governance evolved over the years?

Family businesses are often precariously short-lived and are vulnerable when it comes to handing down the business, especially from one generation to another. However, such a predicament can be overcome if there is transparency, accountability, family trust, no conflict but healthy discussion, and good leadership. Tamer Group has been governed according to an implicit agreement based on these principles, rules, and values among the members of both the second and third generations.

We have established a more formalized and structured governance within the family through a Family Constitution, and within the business by implementing the best corporate governance practices whether those practices are mandatorily required or not.

How has Saudi’s Vision 2030 changed the way you do business?

Digital transformation plays a major role in Saudi’s Vision 2030. Tamer Group has started to sync with the Ministry of Health in many initiatives, such as through its national screening program, and the national VNA and tele-radiology platforms. These initiatives help to share the experience of resources from Ministry of Health hospitals with other hospitals, which do not have the needed resources, to reach more patients and provide the best healthcare service for the Saudi community.

The localization of all industrial sectors is a central tenet of Vision 2030. Tamer Group is on a mission to develop the organization and the healthcare industry to help increase the income of the kingdom, generate job opportunities, and brighten the future for younger generations.

The group has invested in global and local startups. What are the factors that you consider before investing in a startup?

The first thing we consider in investments is the ethics of the industry we are entering. We often look at investments that have a holistic advantage to both the family office and regionally for the holding operating group. These investments include healthcare, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, manufacturing pharmaceuticals and vaccines, consumer nutrition products, consumer goods, and beauty products.

Download the full article in PDF format here.

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See: https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/featured/saudi-leaders-insights-advertising-section/investing-in-ethics

In Arab countries, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed form of the disease. One recent study found 17.7 to 19 percent of all new cancer cases across the region in 2018 were breast cancer diagnoses. That is why every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when experts meet to discuss the latest treatments, charities raise awareness and private clinics offer special discounts on tests and screenings.

Cancer survivors are frequently asked to share their experiences, whether in small private groups or at large public gatherings, and the distinctive pink ribbon synonymous with the cause proliferates on blouses and lapels the world over. While pandemic restrictions have forced many events online, this year has been no exception. And the message is getting across. Oncologists, surgeons, radiologists and other medical practitioners in the field are often fully booked this time of year.

“I think the essence is to try and get the whole world to just refocus,” Dr. Millicent Alache Bello, a renowned breast surgeon at King’s College Hospital in Dubai, told Arab News. “It is important all through the year that breast education and breast awareness continues. However, a specific month for people to just refocus and take stock is vital.”

Women are recommended to begin getting annual mammograms from the age of 40, when the likelihood of developing breast cancer increases. “In this part of the world, screening is not something done nationally. Screening is done ad hoc, meaning people go when they feel like it,” said Bello.

In the UK, general practitioners working for the taxpayer-funded National Health Service keep detailed medical records on every patient and remind them when they are due to receive a screening exam. This is not the case in Arab countries, where health services are insurance-based. King’s College Hospital in Dubai wants to imitate the British system and to begin reminding its patients when they are due a check-up. It has already started compiling patient data and will soon offer mammograms at a cost of AED 350 ($95).

Routine check-ups and on-time screenings pay off. “The point where a woman feels a lump in her breast is not the point when the breast cancer started,” Bello warned. “Sometimes, it started before that period, anything up to 12, 14 or 24 months earlier.” That is why it is so important to get screened regularly before the trouble signs emerge.

Catherine, a British cancer survivor in her 40s, says she used to be disciplined with her screening appointments, often getting tested twice a year. But after having children, she began neglecting her checks. It was during this six-year window that she developed a lump. “I was so busy being a mom, I just forgot about myself,” Catherine told Arab News. By the time she was diagnosed, the tumor in one of her breasts already measured eight centimeters in diameter. After a double mastectomy, the pathology report showed her other breast also contained three cancerous lumps. “I was very pragmatic about it. I didn’t feel this massive emotional connection to my breasts. If they try to kill me, they have to go,” she said.

Women should not make the same mistake and neglect their health, she says, even when other life pressures take over. Now Catherine devotes her time to charity work during Breast Cancer Awareness Month to raise funds and awareness.

Joining her is Ghozlan, an Arab woman and fellow survivor, who says she discovered a lump in her breast while exercising. She traveled to Europe for treatment and opted for reconstruction.

“I am a woman who cares about her femininity and I can’t live without it,” Ghozlan told Arab News, describing her breast implant, which must be replaced every 10 years. “It was not what I expected. It wasn’t a great result but it is better than nothing. I have been through hell, and now I accept what I have. I am living with it, but I have some side effects because of the implant.”

Ghozlan is now anxiously awaiting her next check-up with her doctor in Europe, which had to be pushed back due to coronavirus travel restrictions.

Another woman fundraising for Breast Cancer Awareness Month is Gina, a 58-year-old who, like Catherine, underwent a double mastectomy. Unlike Ghozlan, she was unable to undergo reconstructive surgery.

“Due to my autoimmune disease, the chances of the prosthesis being rejected by my body was very high,” Gina said. “It was not my voluntary choice. It was a shock to me. I must admit, even today, after five years, I have not 100 percent accepted this situation.”

Gina has since resigned from her job to commit herself entirely to charity work.

With the evolution of technology and other scientific advancements, doctors are getting even better at detecting potential problems — faster and more accurately. The triple assessment — clinical examination, imaging and biopsy — has changed little over recent years, but equipment offering more sensitive scans has developed in leaps and bounds while surgery techniques have become more refined.

“It is the oncology, the medicine we give for hemotherapy and the endocrine treatments — they have moved on in quantum leaps, which is fantastic news,” said Bello.

Scientists have come to understand that treatment plans are not always the same for all breast cancer patients and that the most effective surgeries and therapies are unique to the individual. “No two women have the same breast cancer,” said Bello. “Every woman’s cancer is different because the genetic composition is different. This is why people are doing better now, because the treatment is tailored individually.” But this can also mean reconstruction surgery is not an option for everyone, and is dependent on body type, the extent of the cancer, the patient’s medical history and personal preference. “Reconstruction is designed to improve your well-being; it is not supposed to interfere with cancer treatment,” Bello said.

High-income countries in Europe and North America appear to have much higher rates of breast cancer largely because screening and early detection are so prevalent. With a more limited testing capacity, the Arab world appears to have a lower rate of cases — but also a high mortality rate. A retrospective epidemiological study conducted in 2012 found that breast cancer was the leading cause of death among Saudi women.

However, a paper published in 2018 by the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health said: “Although the incidence of breast cancer in Arab countries is rising, it is still less than the global average and only one-fifth of that in Western Europe.” But now is not a time for complacency. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a reminder to all women to get themselves checked and for governments to invest in clinics and vital research.

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See: www.arabnews.com/node/1753561/middle-east

Middle East countries, including the UAE, are showing a "disturbing rise" in the number of cancer patients and long-term projections show that cancer cases are expected to double by 2030, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

"Breast cancer, genitourinary (GU) cancer and lung cancer tumours prevalence has reached up to 40 per cent of all cancers in specific geographies in the region," said Yasser El Dershaby, vice-president and medical affairs lead of Africa and Middle East region at Pfizer, during a virtual oncology summit.

"There are many risk factors and it depends on the type of cancer. When it comes to lung cancer, the leading cause remains smoking, which is lifestyle-related. When it comes to breast cancer, the exact cause remains unclear, but some risk factors make it more likely, for example, genetics," he added.

"The incidence of cancer across the region remains high, and the reason we held this webinar is to create a platform where thought leaders can come together and share the latest advances, treatments, ideas that will ultimately transform the cancer treatment landscape across the region and globally. Our progress is impossible without the right partnerships. Raising awareness about early detection, lifestyle factors, and sharing innovations and methods can help to a great degree to fight this disease," said El Dershaby.

Organised by Pfizer Inc, the 13th Africa and Middle East (AfME) Oncology Summit saw 250 healthcare professionals from across the region exchange scientific know-how and evidence-based updates related to different kinds of cancers prevalent in the region.

Breast cancer has high prevalence in the region, said Prof Jean-Marc A Nabholtz, professor of oncology at the King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh. "From experience, we know that early diagnosis means higher cure rates, lower treatment expenses, and a much better quality of life for patients and their families."

When it comes to lung cancer, the leading cause is still lifestyle-related, like smoking, said Dr Yasser Salah Eldin Sayed Abd El Kader, director of oncology centre at Cairo University, Egypt. "One reason why it is so deadly is because it is hard to find in early stages. It may take years for lung cancer to grow, and there are usually no symptoms. By the time you notice symptoms, cancer often has spread to other parts of the body. Fortunately, state-of-the-art diagnostic testing and the latest treatment options for lung cancer gives hope and optimism to patients. On another note, anti-smoking awareness campaigns remain critical to success."

Copyright © 2020 Khaleej Times. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).

See: https://www.zawya.com/mena/en/life/story/

The survey conducted in April by the Pediatric Oncology East and Mediterranean Group – a collaboration of institutions in the Middle East, North Africa, and West Asia working on pediatric cancer treatment – collected data from 34 centers in 19 countries on the measures they had taken in the face of the pandemic and the resulting impacts on treatment.

At the time, many countries were in some form of lockdown and medical centers in many cases restricted visits to only the most essential out of concern about spreading the virus and reallocated beds and resources to the COVID-19 response.

"Essential treatments, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, were delayed in 29% to 44% of centers, and 24% of centers restricted acceptance of new patients," the report noted. "Clinical care delivery was reported as negatively affected in 28% of centers. Greater than 70% of centers reported shortages in blood products, and 47% to 62% reported interruptions in surgery and radiation as well as medication shortages."

Apart from measures taken by the hospitals, the report noted that in some cases patients' families refused to show up for essential visits out of fear or contracting the virus. In other cases, they were unable to make it to appointments because of restrictions on movement or on public transportation.

The researchers noted that delays in treatment could have a detrimental effect on the young cancer patients.

"Mechanisms to approach childhood cancer treatment delivery during crises need to be re‐evaluated, because treatment interruptions and delays are expected to affect patient outcomes in this otherwise largely curable disease," they wrote.

U.S. News & World Report spoke with Dr. Sima Jeha, director of the Eastern Mediterranean region for St. Jude Global and one of the authors of the report. Excerpts of the interview are below. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

The report talks about a lot of ways that treatment was impacted by the COVID-19 situation. From your perspective, what were the most concerning findings?

This was very early on (in the pandemic) when we sent the survey, and everyone was focused on the (pediatric cancer) cases that actually contract COVID and what was the effect on the cancer patients who contracted COVID. We started thinking about what's the effect on the children with cancer who don't have COVID and what's the effect on care, because childhood cancer is very curable, but it's curable if you keep the treatment on time and you follow the protocols.

The thing that's concerning is not just in the region; it's everywhere. In the beginning, people started being scared and thinking, "We will hold the treatment and this will pass." The concern was that holding the treatment even for two months, or even decreasing it, might not be good in the long term.

Did you notice if there were any main factors that seemed to play into whether a hospital had a lot of difficulty providing treatment during this period?

Very few hospitals said it didn't affect the care at all, and we need to go back and check why. We think that most of the (cases where the) impact was low on the hospitals was because they didn't really have (COVID) cases at the time, because the cases, for some reason, in the Middle East were very low for a long time, except for Iran. It would be good to see now that the surge happened whether the answer would still be that there's no impact.

In cases where treatment was delayed, how much impact might that have on the outcomes for children with cancer?

It depends, really, on several things. It depends on what phase of treatment (the delay) was and for how long it was. If the kids are going to relapse because of that they will not do it immediately – they will do it in a year or two, so this is why we need to follow up for next year or two or even beyond. We are starting to collect (data) under St. Jude about how much chemo was missed and what phase of treatment it was.

Now that there has started to be tracking of children who were undergoing treatment for cancer and then got COVID, have there been any findings so far as far as what the mortality rate is or how that impacts the outcomes?

We have just started and (the data) are not fully analyzed and we are still collecting them, but so far, it's reassuring that even the kids who get (the virus) can continue the treatment. If they are positive but they are not sick, you can continue the treatment or if you want to hold it, hold it for one week and not more and continue, and those kids for the major part are doing OK.

So, it's better to continue with treatment than to keep the child away from a hospital because you don't want to risk them getting COVID?

It's not just the fact of getting them into the hospitals, but the worry in the beginning was, if they have COVID and COVID is an immunosuppressant and you give them chemo, they may get more sick because you are depressing their (blood) count and their immunity. So, the answer to that, again, is it depends what phase of therapy they're in. If they are just diagnosed, there is no point in holding their chemo, because they have leukemia and their immune cells are down, so you need to treat the leukemia so they can form normal cells that can fight the infection. Although it's tricky to do it, you have no choice, because if you don't treat the leukemia, it will kill them.

The main thing is during induction, don't delay, keep going. If they get sick and we see that it's COVID, usually the recommendation is to hold the chemo for one week. We give them this break just to differentiate between what COVID is doing and what the chemo is doing and if they are stable, not worse, or recovered, then we resume the chemo as scheduled.

What do you think might be the lessons learned from COVID-19 when it comes to being prepared to handle or to continue to treat noncommunicable diseases during future pandemics?

I really think the key is coordination and messaging at the national level. You need to have a plan where there is no confusion across the geographic regions about what should be done. Connectivity is very important, real time, because everybody was learning at such a fast pace and we were changing guidelines as we go. It's not wrong to change a guideline because if we learn something, we need to adapt.

Every country or city needs to know what the capacity is; for ventilators, PPE, for everything, and they need to coordinate so when the surge happens, they are ready.

Really in the (Eastern Mediterranean) region, I thought there would be much more confusion, but they were ready before they were hit, so I hope this will continue.

Are there any other particular findings from the report that you'd like to highlight?

When there is a pandemic the effect is not just from the pandemic itself, from the virus itself, but also it affects the health care system because it really interacts with the care of other diseases. Some of them are very curable but can be fatal if not treated.

If we want to show statistics for all the other areas that are affected in the health care system, the impact is huge, the impact is very costly and everything should be connected, like taking care of controlling this infection so it doesn't trickle down to more morbidities and more mortalities that are due to a health care system that's overwhelmed and not able to cope.

Abby Sewell, Contributor

Abby Sewell is a journalist based in Lebanon. You can follow her on Twitter here.

See: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2020-08-04/study-coronavirus-response-delayed-some-childhood-cancer-treatments

Nine projects have been initiated by the Ameera Fund of the UAE-based Friends Of Cancer Patients (FOCP) to reduce the burden on patients, healthcare systems, and civil society organisations.

An international financial aid of over Dh11.18 million was extended to thousands of beneficiaries which included a partnership worth Dh735,000 with the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC). The fund also pledged Dh1.4 million to support the treatment of cancer patients in the UAE.

"We are committed to closely collaborating with our partners and supporters to provide coordinated, comprehensive and effective treatments to cancer patients worldwide, and to raise public awareness about cancer at the local and global levels. As the second leading cause of death globally, cancer is a multifaceted global issue that cuts through society and demands prompt action to alleviate its impact," said Sawsan Jafar, chairperson of FOCP.

Among the nine projects, the first was implemented in Jordan in collaboration with The King Hussein Cancer Foundation. The Fund granted an amount of Dh734,500 to the foundation's 'Goodwill Fund', which aims to support underprivileged patients of all nationalities by covering their full or partial treatment costs. Since its inception in 2003, the Goodwill Fund has borne the treatment costs of 2,320 cancer patients.

In Mauritania, the fund granted Dh85,000 to support the efforts of the 'Association Mauritanienne de lutte contre le cancer' in raising awareness on oral, cervical, head and neck cancers. It also collaborated with the Gulf Federation for Cancer Control (GFFCC) and The Arab Medical Association Against Cancer (AMAAC) to send physicians from seven countries to Mauritania. Specialised training workshops were conducted, and meetings held between families and doctors to answer their questions about the disease. The courses and meetings benefited about 221,000 individuals.

Dr Khaled Al Saleh, general secretary of the board of the Gulf Federation for Cancer Control (GFFCC), said: "The team's visit to Mauritania in 2018 was a resounding success as it fulfilled its goals of boosting cancer awareness through an education agenda focusing on early detection, control and treatment. FOCP's Ameera Fund played a vital role in the success of this initiative. In future, GFFCC's field visits will target more countries to support their respective cancer awareness efforts in line with the humanitarian approach adopted by the GFFCC."

In another project, the Ameera Fund established a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a customised medical ward at the Paediatrics Department of Muhimbili National Hospital, the largest government hospital in Tanzania, at a cost of Dh8,430,499 This project, implemented in collaboration with Tumaini La Maisha, an NGO that provides free and curative care for children with cancer in Tanzania, meets the needs of 1,300 cancer-stricken children annually.

To support children with cancer in the Gaza Strip, Ameera Fund pledged DH300,000 with the support of Patient's Friends Charitable House, towards the provision of chemotherapy drugs. By avoiding referrals to clinics outside Gaza, children can now be supported by their families during the treatment process.

"The Ameera Fund project is enabling children living under siege in the Gaza Strip to have access to medication that previously was available only outside of Gaza. This meant leaving their families behind to go for treatment. The donation of chemotherapy drugs for sick children enable us to treat them in the new paediatric cancer department that we built in Gaza. It gives them great hope for a better future," said Steve Sosebee, CEO of The Palestine Children's Relief Fund.

In Ethiopia, the fund helped provide basic treatments for children with acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL). It pledged Dh600,000 to support research and other measures to overcome several challenges such as high costs, and the availability and quality of cancer treatments. The aid will also go towards improving the national strategies related to the purchase and import of medicines and the mobilisation of international efforts to develop them.

Moving on to the city of Abidjan in Côte d'Ivoire, the Ameera Fund organised radiotherapy training courses worth Dh33,000 for medical professionals to deliver radiotherapy treatment to cancer patients. The aim of the project was to increase cancer recovery rates in West Africa by facilitating access to oncology drugs, supporting research, and developing effective strategies to improve health outcomes.

In Pakistan, the Ameera Fund contributed Dh183,649 to ensure continued delivery of quality treatment to cancer patients at the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (SKMCH&RC). With facilities in Lahore and Peshawar, and a new close to completion in Karachi, SKMCH&RC has been offering comprehensive, world-class cancer care for free to the neediest populations in the country for over 25 years.

Every year, Ameera Fund allocates 40 per cent of its budget to help and support patients in the UAE, 30 per cent for patients outside the country, while the remaining 30 per cent is used to build the capacities of cancer organisations in the UAE and beyond.

Meanwhile, FOCP also signed a partnership agreement with the UICC with the aim of supporting cancer awareness campaigns and activities worldwide. Under the agreement, FOCP allocated approximately Dh734,600 from Ameera Fund to support two major projects of UICC, which are expected to be completed this year.

How to contribute:

Individuals and organisations in the UAE and beyond, who want to contribute to the Ameera Fund can make donations through the main branch of Sharjah Islamic Bank - Account number 0011430430015, IBAN AE420410000011430430015 or call FOCP at +97165065542.

reporters@khaleejtimes.com 

See: https://www.khaleejtimes.com/uae/sharjah/thousands-of-cancer-patients-get-free-treatment-thanks-to-sharjah-fund

The Saudi FDA has been investigating the presence of impurities in some types of medications. Nitrosamines are common in water and foods, including cured and grilled meats, dairy products and vegetables. Everyone is exposed to some level of nitrosamines.

US FDA, in collaboration with regulatory counterparts around the world, has set internationally-recognised acceptable daily intake limits for nitrosamines. If drugs contain levels of nitrosamines above the acceptable daily intake limits, FDA recommends these drugs be recalled by the manufacturer as appropriate.

Nitrosamine impurities may increase the risk of cancer if people are exposed to them above acceptable levels and over long periods of time, but a person taking a drug that contains nitrosamines at-or-below the acceptable daily intake limits every day for 70 years is not expected to have an increased risk of cancer.

The Saudi FDA obligated the drug manufacturer, which is used as a medicine for diabetics, to recall its products from the market, and advised drug users to consult the physician to determine a suitable alternative before stopping it completely, so as not to lead to uncontrolled sugar levels.

See: https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-fda-withdraws-glucare-xr-tablets-which-control-sugar-levels-due-to-cancer-risk-1.72068464

High prevalence and rising incidence rates of major types of cancers (such as breast cancer and prostate cancer), emerging treatment algorithms and widespread use of anti-cancer drugs for treating conditions such as blood cancer (leukemia) is expected to drive this market. In addition, growing popularity of biological and targeted drug therapies, which help in improving the patients survival time, are projected to provide opportunities in the LAMEA oncology/anti-cancer drugs market. However, factors such as high cost associated with cancer drugs and related side effects are likely to affect the market growth.

Key findings of LAMEA Oncology/Anti-Cancer Drugs Market:Immunotherapy (biologic therapy) is projected to be the fastest growing segment, registering a CAGR of 12.2% during the forecast period.Chemotherapy is expected to dominate the LAMEA oncology/cancer drugs market throughout the forecast period.Blood cancer segment would lead the LAMEA oncology/cancer drugs market through 2021.Algeria is anticipated to be the fastest growing country in the LAMEA oncology/anti-cancer drugs market, registering a CAGR of 12.8% between 2015 and 2021.Brazil was the highest revenue generating country in the LAMEA oncology/anti-cancer drugs market with about one third of market share in 2015.

Saudi Arabia, is the leading country market from the Middle East region and would continue to lead until 2020, owing to rising incidence rates of cancer, high healthcare expenditure and gross national income (GNI) in Saudi Arabia. Algeria, is expected to witness highest growth rate because of considerable funding, urbanized healthcare facilities and establishment of national healthcare systems. Furthermore, acquisition is the key growth strategy adopted by the leading players in the market, which helped companies to expand their oncology drugs business. In addition, the market players have also adopted strategies, such as approval and collaborations, to sustain the competition in the market. The key companies profiled in the report include, Amgen Inc., AstraZeneca Plc., Roche Diagnostics, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Merck & Co., Novartis AG, AbbVie Inc. Sanofi, EIMC United Pharmaceuticals (EUP) and Actavis plc.

See: https://www.pharmiweb.com/press-release/2020-02-20/valuing-the-lamea-oncologyanti-cancer-drugs-market-graphs-and-predictions

The cost of providing medical treatment in the Middle East and North Africa soared by 13.6 per cent last year with analysts expecting a further rise to 14 per cent this year.

As the expense of delivering health benefit programmes continues to climb, employers must look towards preventive programmes, new technology and wellness initiatives to avoid costly treatments.

It is the fifth year Mercer Marsh Benefits has issued a report on key medical trends, with respiratory conditions, circulatory disease and endocrine illnesses the top three health risk factors pushing up bills.

Because treatment is expensive, screening and prevention are key to tackling this epidemic and reducing costs

Simon Penney, UK Government

“Although there are clear challenges facing us, the region is making significant investment into tackling some of the issues raised in this report,” said Julio Garcia, Mercer Marsh Benefits leader for Middle East and Africa.

“This is being done specifically by encouraging employees to take greater personal responsibility for their own well-being through more visible support for preventive care.”

Type two diabetes remains a significant concern across the Middle East, with Saudi Arabia having the highest prevalence of the condition at 31.6 per cent of the population, followed by Oman (29 per cent), Kuwait (25.4 per cent) and Bahrain (25 per cent).

In the UAE, 25 per cent of the population is living with diabetes, placing considerable strain on health care budgets.

“These diseases are not unique to the Gulf,” said Simon Penney, Middle East trade commissioner for the UK Government.

“Non-communicable diseases are increasingly responsible for serious health and economic burdens to governments around the world.

“Because treatment is expensive, screening and prevention are key to tackling this epidemic and reducing costs.

“The National Health Service has invested heavily in technology and increased its focus on disease screening and prevention.

“These efforts have helped drive the steady reduction in deaths in the UK associated with diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer over the past three decades.”

A spike in medical costs across the region last year was blamed on three main factors.

An overprescribing of low-value health tests and procedures, high cost pharmaceuticals and patients spending longer than necessary in hospital for treatment were cited in the financial report.

Doctors have been criticised by health insurers for sending patients home with bags of unnecessary drugs, many of which are expensive branded medication.

A recent report by British medical firm, Medbelle, ranked the UAE alongside Germany and the US as the top three most expensive countries to buy drugs in a study of 50 nations.

Researchers found extreme price variations worldwide for medicines to treat heart disease, blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, anxiety disorders and erectile dysfunction.

Despite increasing costs, analysts said changes to the way people access care, such as via virtual health consultancies and telemedicine, are being adopted across the region.

The Mercer Marsh Benefits report surveyed 204 international insurers from January to March and found 88 per cent of those asked were either considering or already support this new technology, compared with 78 per cent worldwide.

Technology could play a wider role in reducing healthcare costs globally by cutting-out unnecessary tests and eliminating expensive errors.

Last year, medical negligence in England cost the National Health Service £2.3 (Dh11.05 bn) billion in compensation and legal costs.

Precision robotic surgery and computer programmes to eliminate errors from misread scan results could dramatically reduce those costs in the future.

“A compendium of information can be looked at by a machine more effectively than a human,” said Dr Jacques Kobersy, chairman of emergency medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

“Decisions can be made on how previous patients have responded in similar situations to improve care.

“Reducing healthcare costs in emergency medicine is about preventing unnecessary return visits to the hospital.

“We can do that by increasing the efficiency of our diagnosis process.”

See: https://www.thenational.ae/uae/health/gulf-healthcare-costs-expected-to-soar-report-shows-1.970574

The strides taken by Dubai’s healthcare market will be on display at the upcoming, 45th Arab Health Show taking place at the Dubai World Trade Centre from January 27-30.

THE WORLD’S LARGEST MEDICAL FREE ZONE

With its world-class medical facilities infrastructure and a burgeoning number of public and private healthcare companies providing state-of-the-art service, Dubai is fast becoming a major international hub for the global healthcare industry. It is already home to the world’s largest medical free zone, Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC).

Located in the heart of Dubai, DHCC comprises two phases. Phase 1 occupying 9 million square feet in Oud Metha is an established community dedicated to healthcare and medical education. DHCC Phase 2 expansion, currently under development, occupies 19 million square feet in Al Jaddaf Dubai; it is dedicated to wellness with its scenic location overlooking the wetland reserve Ras al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary and Dubai Water Canal that links the Dubai Creek natural seawater inlet of the Arabian Gulf.

DHCC, established in 2002, boasts 160 clinical partners, including hospitals, outpatient medical centres and diagnostic laboratories across 150+ specialties with licensed professionals from almost 90 countries. The sector is also served by 28 private and six public-sector hospitals.

WHY DUBAI

As one of the seven emirates that makes up the UAE, Dubai is strategically located to tap into a UAE market which boasts an average of US$1,200 in healthcare spending per capita, placing the country in the world’s Top 20.

Globally renowned hospitals, outpatient medical centres and diagnostic laboratories such as Johns Hopkins-associated hospital Clemenceau Medical Centre and Moorfields London have launched facilities in Dubai to capitalise on the strong projected growth in the healthcare market.

Dubai-based healthcare providers can count on the city’s proximity and accessibility to the Middle East and GCC markets as well as Africa and Asia. More than a third of medical tourists come from Asian countries, Arab and GCC countries contribute 31% of the total whereas a significant 15% of patients visit Dubai from Europe.

Dubai Health Authority (DHA), which regulates medical services in the Emirate, continues to roll out its current 12-year master plan, which includes the addition of 40 primary healthcare centres and three new hospitals. There are also plans to develop a new 1,000-bed medical complex complete with outpatient clinics, a five-star hotel, and mixed-use facilities.

There are many factors encouraging investment in new developments, including Dubai’s growing population and its focus on becoming a global medical tourism hub. Other factors include its proximity to a lucrative GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) market, high health insurance penetration and its stated determination to establish a reputation as a leading medical research centre which incentivises and encourages the use of innovative technologies in patient treatment. The combined effect of these factors has led to the number of hospital beds increasing from 1,448 in 2012 to 2,434 beds in 2016.

Dubai also aims at having 34 indigenous pharmaceutical manufacturing factories by 2020. The market value of the city’s pharmaceutical industry is set to go up to US$6.8 billion by 2025 whereas it stands at US$2.6 billion currently.

TECH TO DRIVE MEDICAL INDUSTRY

The medical landscape is on track to become technology-driven with the adoption of recent innovations. Armed with latest techniques such as 3-D printing and the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), the sector could become a critical tool in the city’s development as one of the leading healthcare centres in the world, notes the DHCC.Authorities in Dubai expect telemedicine to grow rapidly citing studies in the US where it is expected to grow from 350,000 patients in 2012 to 7 million in 2018. Other areas where Dubai is taking initiatives to apply advanced technology in healthcare include 3D Modelling, Robotic Pharmacy, Digitisation, Health Apps and Smart Fitness.

A large section of DHA’s Dubai Health Strategy 2021 focuses on innovation with an emphasis on cutting-edge technology and automation. The first 3D-printed prosthetic leg developed in the region was revealed at the 2017 Arab Health Forum. Currently, prosthetic limbs can cost up to US$50,000 a piece, but 3D-printed limb technology shows promise that the price can be reduced significantly. Dubai’s 3D printed medical products market is expected to be valued at US$463 million by 2025 and the average cost of a custom-made limb anticipated to be priced at just US$105.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology can also reduce the cost of service and free up more time for healthcare professionals. At the end of 2017, Dubai Hospital introduced a robot pharmacist capable of storing up to 35,000 medications and delivering 12 prescriptions per minute.

There is an increasing demand for qualified aesthetic surgeons, and professionals qualified in Lasik, dentistry, and rejuvenation treatments. Due to the increasing population of the elderly and the abundance of chronic diseases, long-term care facilities are also in demand as well as home care services by private providers.

Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Business in Dubai by Times Internet’s Mediawire team.

See: https://m.economictimes.com/industry/healthcare/biotech/healthcare/dubai-healthcare-city-a-hub-for-medical-services-in-the-uae/amp_articleshow/73552908.cms

Rates of the disease are increasing in nearly every region globally as aging populations and factors such as obesity take their toll. In 2018, more than 2 million new cases were reported worldwide of what is one of the biggest and most preventable killers of women.

Dr. Samer Abushullaih, an oncologist and physician manager at Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare in Dhahran, said that despite rising detection rates and the introduction of cutting-edge technology, health experts cannot afford to be complacent.

“In the past 20 years we have seen major advances in the survival of breast cancer patients around the world,” he told Arab News. It has been an amazing journey of heightened awareness, technological advances and changes in culture. Unfortunately, we are a long way away from defeating the disease.”

The Middle East is forecast to experience the fastest increase in cancer rates globally over the next two decades. By 2030, prevalence of breast cancer is expected to be double what it was in 2012, according to experts at the War on Cancer Middle East. Regionally, Lebanon has the highest incidence among Arab countries, followed by Bahrain and Morocco. In the UAE, cancer is the third-biggest cause of death, with breast cancer being the most prevalent type.

As the world marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month, experts say that Saudi Arabia is leading the fight against the disease regionally. Even so, cancer incidence rose in the Kingdom by 49 percent between 2008 and 2017, and breast cancer remains the most common form of the illness among women.

Abushullaih said that the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia has the largest number of breast cancer patients in the country .

“The use of 3D mammography and advanced MRI images have improved early detection,” he said, adding that treatment of breast cancer has evolved significantly in the past few years. Surgery moved from the traditional mastectomy and lymph node dissection to more cosmetically friendly procedures such as lumpectomies and sentinel lymph node biopsy,” he said. “Also, the new techniques of oncoplastic surgeries, such as skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomies, spare a lot of women the physical and emotional agony of losing their breasts.”

According to Abushullaih, advancements in molecular profiling have improved the understanding of breast cancer. Physicians can tell who needs chemotherapy, sparing those who do not the dreaded side effects.

Drug development has also evolved in the field of targeted therapy. Medicines such Herceptin, suitable for women with a particularly fast-growing form of the disease, cut the risk of cancer returning by up to half. Tamoxifen, designed as a contraceptive, is now used to prevent breast cancer in women at high risk.

“These are drugs that target the cancer cells and spare the normal cells,” said Abushullaih. He said that new medicines, targeted therapies such as radiotherapy, and advances in surgery, along with screening, have expanded the resources available to beat breast cancer. “On the horizon, research and advances in immunotherapy, where the body’s immune system works with medication to fight the disease, are promising to advance survival and cure rates,” said Abushullaih.

When it comes to Saudi Arabia, Abushullaih said: “The Kingdom is in the lead in the fight against cancer and other diseases, both in the GCC and the Middle East.” However, he said that heightened awareness will help in early detection of the disease, ensuring that women carry out regular self-examination and get screened early. “I think our early detection rate is still very low compared with the West. More than 50 percent of all breast cancer cases in the Kingdom are still detected after it has spread to lymph nodes or other parts of the body,” said Abushullaih.

One of the biggest obstacles facing women is being proactive in requesting a mammography, even when it is not offered, he said. “Treating breast cancer at an early stage is much easier. Saudi Arabia and many of the countries in the Middle East fare the same way with regard to screening. However, in the Kingdom it is slowly improving.” Another obstacle in patient care is the cost of therapy, said Abushullaih. “Here, the Kingdom fares better than most, if not all, the countries in the region as the government invested heavily early on in providing for cancer patients,” he said.

Dr. Nazura Siddiqi, a specialist in obstetrics and gynecology at the UAE’s Bareen International Hospital, said the first step to a diagnosis is self-examination. “Women should check for lumps and change in size or other signs linked to breast cancer,” she said. “The other forms include visiting a health care facility and getting clinical breast examination by a physician, ultrasound, MRI or mammogram.”

Siddiqi quoted research by the American Cancer Society that showed almost one in eight women suffers from breast cancer. “In fact, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International’s statistics, 12 percent of all new cancer cases and 25 percent of all cancers in women could be linked to breast cancer,” she said.

The risk doubles for women who have one first-degree female relative (sister, mother, daughter) diagnosed with breast cancer. If two first-degree relatives have been diagnosed, the risk is five times higher than average. “There is also a group of women who don’t have family history, yet can develop breast cancer,” Siddiqi said. “Therefore, it is highly recommended to undergo regular screening in order to detect the condition in its early stages.” Hormonal factors such as early menarche, late menopause or late childbirth are also potential risk factors, said Siddiqi.

Use of oral contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy are also believed to raise breast cancer risks. Lifestyle is another issue, said Siddiqi. “Research shows that factors that contribute to breast cancer and resulting mortality include alcohol use, obesity and physical inactivity,” she said.

According to the Saudi Cancer Registry of the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, breast cancer has a prevalence rate of 21.8 percent in the Kingdom. Earlier this year, Tareef Yousef Alaama, of the Saudi Ministry of Health, told Arab News that a string of cancer-prevention measures were planned in the Kingdom.

These included the roll-out of advanced screening programs, increased palliative care and greater public awareness about risk factors associated with the illness.

See: https://www.arabnews.com/node/1569901/lifestyle

See: http://saudigazette.com.sa/article/585699

The Stage 7 EMRAM validation enhances KAMC’s strong record in using information and technology to improve patient care and shows its commitment to operating in a paperless environment, using advanced analytics to drive transformational change in all aspects of care.

WHY IT MATTERS

EMRAM is an eight-stage model that measures digital maturity in a hospital relative to their electronic medical records (EMR) capabilities, with 0 the lowest and Stage 7 the highest level.

THE LARGER CONTEXT

In July, HIMSS Analytics revealed that KAMC was the first hospital to be validated against the Stage 6 standards of the Infrastructure Adoption Model (INFRAM), an eight-stage international benchmark that analyses the maturity level of a healthcare provider organisation's IT infrastructure.

The hospital has also been validated against Stage 7 standards of the Outpatient Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (O-EMRAM), and the stage 6 standards of the Digital Imaging Adoption Model (DIAM)

Meanwhile, in October, Princ Paknampo Hospital became the first hospital in Thailand to successfully achieve the HIMSS Analytics EMRAM Stage 7 validation.

In June, Chase Farm Hospital in London, UK, was validated at Stage 6 of EMRAM. Only two other NHS organisations are currently validated at Stage 6, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, and none at Stage 7. 

The Dubai Health Authority has achieved Stage 6 of EMRAM and is striving towards Stage 7.

ON THE RECORD

“The degree of staff engagement, clinical leadership and governance in general is quite outstanding in this hospital. There have been a number of cultural changes that have been made as a result of the efforts to embed technology enabled transformation, not only into new workflows but also into new behaviours and clinical perspectives,” said John Rayner, regional director of Europe, HIMSS Analytics. “This is an impressive hospital with strong clinical engagement and visible leadership from all members of the senior management team.”

His Excellency, Dr Bandar Al Knawy, chief executive officer at the Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs (MNGHA), said: “MNGHA’s commitment to providing optimum healthcare services in an utmost safe environment for the patients is enabled, in part, by innovative health IT infrastructure and solutions. This strategic objective can ideally be achieved through a highly mature implementation of various digital healthcare platforms.”

Dr Raed Al Hazme, IT executive director at MNGHA, said: “HIMSS Analytics adoption models are highly valuable tools that we utilise as benchmarks to identify our health IT maturity level, as well as blueprints for improvement and adoption of best practices.”

See: https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/europe/riyadh-hospital-king-abdulaziz-medical-city-achieves-emram-stage-7

The goal was to improve the quality of healthcare services and promote competition amongst healthcare providers with a move towards the private sectors as opposed to the burden falling on the public sector and, ultimately, the public purse. It was recognised that it was necessary to create an environment that will attract both local and foreign investment by making it more attractive for the right investors to invest their expertise, capabilities, energy and finances in the Kingdom.

Vision 2030 also recognises the need to embrace healthcare information technology, as digital innovations are vital for sharing knowledge among healthcare professionals as well as improving the performance and productivity of healthcare providers. Eventually all medical records will be electronic based and with the objective of linking up the Ministry of Health (‘MOH) with healthcare providers in order to share patient information. We are seeing a lot of interest in healthcare information technology from foreign owned companies, especially in cloud based diagnostic software as they are keen to offer their services (through an appointed Saudi distributor) to healthcare providers and professionals. 

Recent Position in Relation to Foreign Investment

Until recently there were limited options for foreign investment in the healthcare sector as foreigners could only own, operate and invest in large hospitals and were unable to invest in other healthcare institutions such as clinics, polyclinics and laboratories as well as support healthcare service centres such as physiotherapy, nutrition and optical centres. Furthermore, pharmaceuticals and medical devices not manufactured in KSA can only be distributed and sold within the Kingdom through an appointed and registered Saudi owned distributor. Therefore, the opportunities for foreign investment were slim even though the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and medical devices has been actively encouraged and ownership of hospitals became an option for foreign investors in 2015. Many manufacturers still choose to distribute their products through distributors and, to date, the uptake by foreign companies to own and operate hospitals has been slight as the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (‘SAGIA”) was only accepting applications for licences for large scale hospital projects until earlier this year. We believe there is no plan to allow foreign companies to directly sell and distribute pharmaceuticals and medical devices in the Kingdom and this will remain the preserve of Saudi owned entities and individuals.

Opening of Doors for Foreign Investment

In March 2019, it was announced that foreign companies could own and manage private healthcare institutions and support healthcare service centres in KSA with the exception of clinics and pharmacies. Article 2 of the Private Health Institutions Law and Executive Regulations issued by Royal Decree No (M/40) dated 3/11/1423 (corresponding to 6, January 2003) will be amended to reflect this change but it is not yet in force even though it has been approved. However, both the MOH and SAGIA have implemented the change and are accepting applications for operating licences and foreign investment licences respectively. Both authorities are encouraging of foreign investment and the MOH has even published a Healthcare Investor Licensing Guide, which documents all the recent changes to foreign investment in the Kingdom’s healthcare industry and explains, in simple terms, the licensing application process.

All healthcare institutions and support healthcare service centres must have a Saudi Managing Director and with the exception of hospitals and support healthcare service centres, all healthcare institutions must be supervised by a Saudi physician. Hospitals must have a qualified Saudi Medical Director rather than be supervised by a Saudi physician.

The operating licence application process has improved significantly and is now carried out online. From our experience, the process is relatively straight forward and efficient.

SAGIA has no minimum capitalisation requirements for healthcare investment, which is welcome news, as previous investment opportunities open to foreign investors required a substantial minimum investment. We recommend that all investment vehicles have a minimum capitalisation of five hundred thousand Saudi Arabian Riyals (SAR 500,000) as this is the usual minimum requirement expected by SAGIA as it demonstrates a firm commitment by the foreign investor to commit to investment in the country.

Both SAGIA and the MOH have reported significant interest from potential foreign investors and are proving to be very willing to assist potential investors. We are currently assisting a number of clients in exploring available options and establishing healthcare institutions and support healthcare service centres within the Kingdom. We believe that some large healthcare providers are watching the Saudi market closely and we know of at least one market leader that is keen to enter the Saudi marketplace.

Telemedicine

The MOH now offers licences for Telemedicine and Telehealth Centres (‘Telemedicine Centres’). In conjunction with this, the Telemedicine Regulations were, after much anticipation, finally published in June of this year and we shall discuss these regulations in more detail in our Healthcare Law Update to be published in November this year. Telemedicine Centres do not need to be owned by medically qualified investors but must have a Saudi Managing Director and be supervised by a suitably qualified medical professional (with no nationality specified.). Telemedicine Centres allow for the collaboration between medical institutions inside and outside Saudi Arabia to share knowledge and experience in order to make more accurate diagnoses. Telemedicine enables healthcare professionals within the country to have access to and assistance from expertise outside the Kingdom which will benefit patients and will enable Saudi based medical practitioners to develop expertise in their chosen field.

Through collaborations with medical institutions in other countries, a number of hospitals within the Kingdom already provide a telemedicine facility as an additional service to its patients. This is a growing trend and we expect to see more examples of this in the future. Healthcare insurance now provides for reimbursement of telemedicine fees which makes investment in this area even more attractive. Telemedicine and teleconsulting is ripe for investment and it will only be a matter of time before foreign investors recognise this opportunity.

The Kingdom’s Commitment to Foreign Investment

The opening up of foreign investment into healthcare institutions and support healthcare service centres this year demonstrates the Kingdom’s seriousness in developing and improving the private healthcare market to benefit its citizens. It is actively seeking foreign investment and is welcoming the right investors with open arms and is paving the way for easier incorporation without administrative delays and complications. We are confident that the healthcare market will change beyond recognition over the next few years with high quality healthcare services being available to all through traditional mediums and digital platforms. We anticipate that once the changes to foreign investment opportunities are widely known we shall see a number of foreign owned healthcare service providers and joint ventures with Saudi partners entering the marketplace throughout the Kingdom providing for healthy competition and heightened service levels as anticipated in Vision 2030. The changes have taken everyone by surprise and though longed for were not anticipated in practice. It is now time for foreign investors to enter the Saudi Arabian market with confidence and to help change the healthcare landscape. The opportunities are endless for the investor with vision, drive and ambition.

See: https://www.tamimi.com/law-update-articles/a-warm-welcome-for-foreign-investment-in-healthcare-in-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/

They had fled the war in Syria three years earlier, finding refuge in the Lebanese town of Arsal, a remote settlement in the barren hills on the country's far eastern edge and just across the border from the Syrian village of al-Jarajir, where Fatima's family is from.

But the war followed them: In 2014, Islamic State and Al Nusra militants launched attacks on a Lebanese Army post in Arsal, leading to a five-day battle followed by an Army blockade of the town that was still ongoing when Fatima became sick.

She remained in a local hospital in Arsal for nearly a month as doctors puzzled over her condition, says her father, Zakaria al Abed. Because of the security cordon and restrictions on Syrians coming and going from the village, he had to go through a series of bureaucratic steps – including finding a Lebanese sponsor to help him renew his lapsed residency permit – to get permission to take his daughter to a pediatric specialist in the larger town of Chtoura some 45 miles away and then to Beirut for treatment.

After initial tests showed that the girl likely had leukemia, the doctor referred the family to the Children's Cancer Center of Lebanon, a specialized center connected to the American University of Beirut Medical Center and also affiliated with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

"And thank God, they accepted our case and helped us," Abed says. He was sitting in a waiting room at the center with his daughter, now a bright-eyed 9-year-old who likes to draw and play games of make-believe with her siblings. She was nestling her head into the crook of his arm as she awaited her weekly chemotherapy treatment, which would be one of her last.

After three years of treatment, Fatima finished her chemotherapy in May and today appears to be cancer-free.

Fatima's case is emblematic of the difficulties young cancer patients face in conflict zones and surrounding refugee-hosting countries. A scarcity of treatment centers at home – some bombed from war – an influx of refugees that overwhelms existing hospitals and clinics in host countries, a lack of money to afford care and security checkpoints in restricted areas converge to create barriers for accessing care. The girl's case also shows the coordinated response that has sprung up to ensure that Syrian children would continue to receive cancer treatment as their country fell into a brutal and protracted conflict.

See: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-countries/articles/2019-09-05/lebanon-jordan-face-struggle-to-treat-young-refugees-with-cancer

See: https://www.gulftoday.ae/news/2019/07/19/uae-surgeons-to-help-pakistans-poor

A conference held by Imperial College London Diabetes Centre in Abu Dhabi on Saturday revealed how researchers are trying to combat the worrying rise.

It is estimated that one in five people in the Emirates suffers from diabetes, a condition that can cause multiple serious health problems including heart disease, and damage to organs including the eyes and kidneys.

Dr Emad George, consultant endocrinologist and diabetologist at ICLDC, admitted international diabetes figures make for stark reading.

But he believed the forum offered doctors a vital opportunity to come together to tackle a common concern.

“We see it as a chance to spread expertise to benefit care for patients across Abu Dhabi. We are focused on providing updates and advances in many aspects on diabetes care,” said Dr George.

There is a pressing need – both in the region and internationally – to address a surge in diabetes cases, he said.

“We are seeing a global increase. Cases have tripled in the past 20 years and there were 425 million in 2017, and it is predicted that by 2045 this figure will rise to 630 million.

“In the Mena region, there are probably fewer than 40 million people with diabetes that we know of, but by 2045 that number is expected to double,” Dr George said.

While the international outlook may appear bleak, doctors believe their hard work will deliver results.

“In fairness, the estimates have been reasonably accurate but there is some evidence that diabetes rates have been reduced in Abu Dhabi.

“The public health initiatives that have been put in place are having an impact,” said Dr George.

ICLDC’s conference was an opportunity for the medical community to exchange ideas, practices and discuss the latest techniques being used to help turn the tide.

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