Contact us | +971 4 3635663
Sponsored by   Mudabala
 
 
BETA
Loading Loading ...
Sat, 07 Nov 2009 | 08:04 GMT
 

Gulf states urged to create health awareness

The Peninsula
 
 
30 November 2008
DOHA: Arab Gulf states need to invest more in health systems than in merely building large hospitals, says a healthcare finance specialist from Austria who knows the region too well.

"I think the focus in these countries should be on preventing diseases, training medicos and paramedical staff and creating health awareness among their people than just building huge healthcare infrastructure," said Leonard Lerer.

The region needs to rope in more and more of its people in the healthcare system and ensure that its citizens have confidence in the medical services, Lerer, who is an MD and MBA, told The Peninsula yesterday.

Lerer works with Zurich-based Santeum Prtners, a healthcare finance specialist body which publishes a lot of researched and informative literature on the subject. Speaking on the sidelines of the ongoing 'UN Conference on Financing Development' at the Doha Sheraton, he said: "The Gulf region is an interesting place. It has immense oil wealth but its healthcare systems remain underdeveloped."

Qatar should be an exception because it has one of the best healthcare systems in the entire region as it is investing hugely in setting up prestigious medical colleges, universities and in training doctors and nurses, said Lerer.

Overall, the region's healthcare facilities need a huge $50bn in investments to match those in the West. More than 20 per cent of nationals of the GCC suffer from obesity. Heart problems and smoking are common. The emphasis should be on creating awareness and helping improve the health of the people than treating them when they have fallen sick.

People here should be encouraged to be healthy and more attention should be paid to primary healthcare system. According to Lerer, one serious problem faced by the NGOs working in the area of the healthcare in the region is a lack of data on diseases like AIDS, TB and malaria.

By Mobin Pandit

© The Peninsula 2008

 
 
 
Community Comments (0) - Comment on this article
The opinions of the authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect Zawya. Read our Comment Policy.
 
 
 
Loading ...
 
Report Abuse
Loading ...
 
 
Loading ...
Zawya Comment Policy:
 
  1. Zawya encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You agree that when you add content to this discussion your comments will not:
    1.1   Contain any material which is libelous or defamatory of any person, is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory or causes damage to the reputation of any person or organisation.
    1.2   Promote sexually explicit material, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age or any illegal activity.
    1.3   Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
    1.4   Be threatening, abuse or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
    1.5   Be used to impersonate any person, to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person, or be likely to deceive any person.
    1.6   Give the impression that they represent Zawya.
    1.7   Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse.
  2. The content posted on www.zawya.com is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Zawya. Zawya reserves the right to review all comments prior to posting and edit or delete any contribution, but Zawya is not responsible for and can not be held liable for any content posted by members of the public on www.zawya.com.
  3. Zawya is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party sites that are accessible through www.zawya.com. Any links to third party websites from www.zawya.com do not amount to any endorsement of that site by Zawya and any use of that site by you is at your own risk.
  4. By submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comments worldwide, in perpetuity.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Post Your Tender Notices for FREE
(No Sign-in Required)
 
 
Health Care Tenders Due Date
REFURBISHMENT OF SIX (6 NOS.) WARDS AT THE ROYAL HOSPITAL - Ministry Of Health 14Dec09
SUPPLY OF THERMOMETER 24Dec09
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT (F.O.C. EQUIPMENT AGAINST REAGENT) . 11Nov09
Supply of Wound Care 24Dec09
Supply and Installation of Emergency Generators and Accessories for Replacing Old Generators at Al Razi Hospital - Ministry of Health 24Nov09
Supply, Testing and Delivery of Mobile Emergency Generators for Ministry of Health - MINISTRY OF HEALTH 17Nov09
Supply and Installation of Computers and Printers for Various Departments at Ministry - MINISTRY OF HEALTH 17Nov09
RENOVATION OF LAB AT IBN SINA HEALTH CENTER 11Nov09
MAINTENANCE OF LIFTS AT V. MOH LOCATION 11Nov09
CONSTRUCTION OF THE HEALTH CENTER AT SAHAM - Ministry Of Health 14Dec09
SUPPLY, INSTALLATION, COMMISSIONING AND END-USER TRAINING OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT FOR HEALTH FACILITIES AT SOUTH BATINAH REGION - Ministry Of Health 14Dec09
CONSULTANCY ENGINEERING SERVICES FOR DESIGN & SUPERVISION OF NEW GENERAL HOSPITAL AT SAHAM, NORTH BATINAH REGION - Ministry Of Health 16Nov09
RENOVATION AND EXPANSION OF MORTUARY AT SMC ( GRADES FROM AA TO D ) 23Dec09
Construction, Completion and Maintenance of al Khor Hospital Medical Training Center BA/09-10/C/003/G 10Nov09
ESTABLISHING ENTRANCE FOR AMBULANCE & MODIFICATION OF LAB AT BILAD AL-QADEEM 11Nov09
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ( MRI & CT PROJECT ) 09Dec09
Supply of Orthopedic Beds for Al Razi Hospital - MINISTRY OF HEALTH 17Nov09
Supply and Installation of Emergency Generators and Accessories for Replacing Old Generators at Central Blood Bank Building at Hawally Health Area - Ministry of Health 24Nov09
HEALTH CENTRE AT MUSANAH - Ministry Of Health 07Dec09
SUPPLY OF MEDICAL EQUIPMENT ( AHMED ALI KANOO HC PACKAGE 4A - PHYSIOTHERAPY ) 11Nov09
 »  More Tenders
 
 
 
Community Buzz

Stories

Companies

Most viewed companies by Community in the last 24 hrs
Company Name Country Industry
Saudi Binladin Group Saudi Arabia Construction and Design
Consolidated Contractors Company Overseas Construction and Design
Saudi Telecom Saudi Arabia Telecommunications Services
Emirates Telecommunications Corporation UAE Telecommunications Services
Saudi Electricity Company Saudi Arabia Electric Utilities
Sharjah Electricity and Water Authority UAE Electric Utilities
National Commercial Bank Saudi Arabia Banking
Al Azizia Panda United Company Saudi Arabia General Retailers
Commercial International Bank (Egypt) Egypt Banking
Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company - Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Construction and Design
 

Projects

Most viewed projects by Community in the last 24 hrs
Project Name Country Sector
Takreer - Ruwais Refinery Expansion UAE Oil and Gas
Al Futtaim Carillion - Marina Hotel (Yas Island) UAE Real Estate
Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) - Smelter Complex - Phase 1 UAE Industry
Abu Dhabi DOT - Abu Dhabi Metro UAE Infrastructure
ENEC - Nuclear Power Plant UAE Power and Water
SATORP - Jubail Refinery and Petrochemical Complex Saudi Arabia Oil and Gas
Al Safwa - Jeddah Cement Plant Saudi Arabia Industry
Dubai RTA - Dubai Metro UAE Infrastructure
Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway Bahrain Infrastructure
Qatar Bahrain Causeway Foundation - Qatar Bahrain Causeway Qatar Infrastructure
 

Blogs

 
 

 
 
 
 
 

Site is optimised for viewing at 1024 x 768 with Internet Explorer v6 and Firefox v3.0 and above.
Copyright © 2009 ABQ Zawya Ltd. All rights reserved. Please read our Membership Agreement