• Selected nurses to be trained as Respiratory Nurse Specialists
• UAE suffers one of the highest rates of asthma with 13% diagnosis rates
Dubai, UAE, 9 February, 2010 - The Dubai Health Authority and GlaxoSmithKline sealed a new partnership this week by signing an MoU to provide world-class respiratory care for patients with asthma. The aim of the MoU is to establish Dubai and the UAE as a centre for excellence in respiratory care especially in light of the recent research, sponsored by GSK, which showed the UAE to have one of the highest rates of asthma, with a 13% diagnosis rate. The Asthma Management Partnership Initiative was created in response to this research particularity because despite this high statistic, effective asthma diagnosis, care and management remain insufficient, a reality the new project aims to transform with the training and support of Respiratory Nurse Specialists, the first in the UAE.
The Asthma Management Partnership Initiative, and the Dubai Respiratory Centre of Excellence which will be established aims to improve diagnosis to provide early intervention, establish clear and simple management guidelines following the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), reinforce asthma management plans to ensure patient compliance and benchmark the indictors of asthma care to allow continuous improvement. The project hinges upon the partnership between doctors and respiratory nurse specialists, and will provide a concerted multi-disciplinary approach to the management of asthma.
Dr Ahmad Ibrahim Saif Kalban, CEO of the Primary Healthcare Sector at the DHA said, "As the strategic health authority for the Emirate of Dubai, it is our aim to strengthen the primary care system because that is the first point of intervention for patients. We believe the private medical sector is our key stakeholder and this partnership reinforces our commitment to work with the private sector to strengthen the healthcare system in the Emirate of Dubai. Training our nurses in Asthma management will help further improve the quality of treatment given to patients and will aid in early intervention and treatment which is crucial to improve the quality of life of our patients."
Mr Mohammad Zafrullah, General Manager and Vice President, GSK commented on the MOU saying, "This partnership is a very positive step forward for Dubai in terms of essential asthma management improvement. We are very proud to be working with the DHA on this vital initiative and look forward to seeing the impact it has on the lifestyle and productivity of patients in Dubai."
Dr Aly Ziwar, Medical Director GSK Gulf and Near East commented on the issues surrounding asthma saying, "In UAE, 58% of asthmatics suffer daytime symptoms which is an unnecessary compromise on life that can be prevented by following an asthma management plan that achieves control. With this initiative we want to improve patient quality of life by increasing patient compliance, creating a team of knowledgeable, best-in-class respiratory nurse specialists and improve overall standards of primary health care for asthma."
All nurses chosen to participate in the program will complete a diploma, certified from the United Kingdom by Respiratory Education in Edge Hill University in Liverpool and led by assistant tutor and independent respiratory nurse consultant, Jacqueline Brereton. The diploma will mean that before and after an appointment with the doctor, the patient will be able to access additional support from a specialist nurse who will offer guidance on how to use prescribed medication effectively and how to reduce the incidence of asthma attacks.
Dr Bassam Mahboub, head of pulmonology department at the DHA and project leader of the Asthma Management Partnership Initiative added, "Poor asthma management is a major cost to any economy and its healthcare system, not to mention a danger to life and lifestyle. Therefore we believe that educating and training our primary healthcare practitioners like our nurses will lead to substantial improvement in asthma management. Introducing specialist asthma teams across our polyclinics will most certainly help diagnose asthma at an early stage and provide effective treatment for our patients."
Starting in March this year, specialist asthma teams will be accessible in numbers of polyclinics across the emirate, a figure that will grow throughout the year.
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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.
About GlaxoSmithKline
GlaxoSmithKline - One of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies - is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit www.gsk.com
For more information, please contact:
Kamakshi Gupta
Communications Analyst
Institutional Marketing and Communications Department
Dubai Health Authority
Tel: 009714 - 2197455
Email: Klgupta@dha.gov.ae
Jordana Tasker
Cohn&wolfe
Regional PR director MENA
Tel: +971.(0).4331.0331
Mob: +971.(0).50.1594.987
Email: jordana.tasker@cohnwolfemena.com
© Press Release 2010
