United Arab Emirates, Dubai, May 13, 2009: Under the patronage of H.R.H Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Dubai Health Authority celebrated International Nurses Day on the Wednesday, May 12, at the DHA medical library. 

International Nurses Day is celebrated the world over on the 12th of May  in memory of Florence Nightingale who was born on this day and founded nursing as a modern profession.

His Excellency Qadhi Saeed Al Murooshid, Director General of the DHA said during his opening speech at the conference, "The DHA is well aware of the importance of nurses in the health sector and felicitates them for their contribution. At the DHA, we are proud to have excellent talent-pool and we always provide our staff with continuous training opportunities to further enhance their skills. Nurses are in many ways the backbone of the healthcare system and they contribute greatly to the betterment of healthcare services."

He highlighted that recently the DHA sponsored long -standing nurses working at DHA hospitals to complete a one year midwifery course. "We are proud to mention that 23 of our nurses completed the first midwifery course in the UAE and are positively contributing to the development of this specialized nursing field."

This year, the United Nations (UN) declared 2010 to be the International Year of the Nurse and the theme is - Nurses leading the fight against chronic diseases with a vision towards UN millennium development goals.

Based on this theme, the conference held many lectures and Dr. Zakaria Zaki Al Attal,

Director of Quality & Performance Management, Hospitals Services Sector at the DHA highlighted the importance of sustaining and improving the quality of service that nurses provide their patients. He stressed on the importance of training to ensure nurses were constantly updated with the latest developments in their field.  

Dr Sheikha Alia Al Qassimi, Head of Business Support Office, Medical Education Department at the DHA said, "Nurses play a curial role in the health sector and at the DHA we are proud to mention that we are able to retain our nurses because we value their effort and provide them with opportunities to receive enhanced training. We would like to take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to the nursing fraternity for their contribution to the health sector."

-Ends-
 
The DHA:
The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) has been empowered to set policy and strategy for health, and to assure the application of that health policy and strategy. The DHA leads an integrated approach across the spectrum of health, anticipating our future needs and being responsive to users. It will stimulate growth and innovation in the health market, ensuring value for money and quality of services through effective regulation.

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) structure will ensure that health services are better positioned to meet the demand for better healthcare services in the future. The DHA will work to:

  • Provide a Health Strategy for Dubai that will meet the needs of the predicted growth and change in population.

  • Ensure Public Health is protected and quality of life improved.

  • Ensure partnership between public and private health service providers, bringing together the best international experience to ensure we deliver the best health system possible.

  • Achieve international accreditation of healthcare services delivered across the Emirate by ensuring world-class quality and standards of healthcare.

  • Ensure effective regulation and licensing across the Dubai Health Sector guaranteeing the quality of health services provided.

  • Increase the transparency and accountability of the healthcare system.

  • Drive efficiency so that funding is spent on the most effective healthcare for those who need it.

  • Improve accessibility to the healthcare system and sustainability for the future.

  • Deliver the best training and education opportunities for Dubai healthcare practitioners.

For more information, please contact 
Kamakshi Gupta
Communications Analyst
Institutional Marketing and Communications Department, DHA
klgupta@dha.gov.ae
009714- 2197455
 

© Press Release 2010