DHA and NYU Abu Dhabi sign MoU to launch UAE Healthy Future study

UAE, Dubai: The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) to conduct a cohort study titled “UAE Healthy Future Study”.  

The study seeks to determine how the health of 20,000 UAE nationals, aged 18-40, is affected by their lifestyle, environment, and genes, specifically looking at risk factors for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, including genetic, microbial and biochemical factors. Participants will be recruited from multiple sites including health care facilities, universities, major employers and by using a mobile clinic.

The purpose of conducting this study— which supports the Public Health Research Centre at NYU Abu Dhabi—  is to determine the risk factors and causes of these common diseases in the United Arab Emirates.

His Excellency Humaid Al Qutami, Director General of the DHA and NYUAD Provost, Professor Fabio Piano, signed the MoU.

Commenting on the MoU, Al Qutami said, “DHA promotes research in the health sector as research provides gold-standard evidence-based data, which we can utilize to develop effective public health policies and strategies. Healthcare research and development directly improves patient care and aids in finding solutions to pressing health issues. We, at the DHA, are keen to promote and foster medical research and to work with prestigious organisations and universities in UAE, such as NYUAD, to better public health policies and patient care.”

Fabio Piano said, "This agreement with the DHA is a significant milestone for NYUAD's Public Health Research Centre and its pioneering UAE Healthy Future Study. Collaborating with the DHA will enable us to expand the study even further, increasing the pool of potential participants and extending the reach and potential impact of this landmark study. We deeply appreciate DHA's support and partnership as we seek to understand and contribute to a healthier future for the UAE."

NYUAD Senior Vice-Provost of Research and Managing Director, Research Institute Professor Sehamuddin Galadari, said “Research is a cornerstone of a knowledge-based society and its advancement. Research outcomes are beneficial to society as a whole, and decision makers in particular. This is specially so in the healthcare system where we need evidence to make appropriate clinical and healthcare decisions. We are very pleased to be working with the Dubai Health Authority in being part of this aspiration and look forward to a fruitful collaboration."

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For further information, please contact:

Mahmoud Al Ali
Head of Media
Dubai Health Authority
myalali@dha.gov.ae
+9714 219 7260

Kamakshi Gupta and Noor Nazzal
Communications Analysts- Media Dept.
Dubai Health Authority
klgupta@dha.gov.ae  nnnazzal@dha.gov.ae
+9714 2197455

About the Dubai Health Authority:

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) was created, in June 2007, by Law 13 issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, Ruler of Dubai, with an expanded vision to include strategic oversight for the complete health sector in Dubai and enhance private sector engagement. 

Prior to the establishment of the DHA, the Department of Health and Medical Services, which was established in 1973, was the functioning authority that almost exclusively focused on health service delivery.

In May 2018, H.H Sheikh Mohammed, issued Law No. (6) Of 2018 of the DHA. The new Law further enables the DHA to achieve its objectives including regulating medical services in Dubai, enhancing competiveness and transparency, improving medical services and products based on international best practices and achieving the sector’s objectives according to approved strategic plans.

According to the Law, DHA will ensure the availability of quality medical insurance programmes, improve medical services according to the highest international standards, contribute to providing attractive infrastructure for investments, boost Dubai’s position as a global hub for medical tourism and medical education, encourage innovation in the healthcare sector and improve preventive healthcare measures.

The Law specified DHA’s responsibilities to include preparing a comprehensive strategic plan for Dubai’s healthcare sector, conducting studies and surveys to define Dubai’s future needs and matching the results with future investments, licensing and monitoring medical workers and medical facilities according to DHA’s approved regulations. Its responsibilities also include regulating medical education and medical research in collaboration with competent local and international authorities and drafting and developing policies and procedures for the healthcare sector in Dubai.

The Law authorises DHA to regulate and approve the prices of medical services offered by private healthcare facilities in Dubai and ensure the quality of medical services. DHA is also responsible for regulating and facilitating the sending of patients for specialised medical treatment to healthcare facilities both within and outside the country, regulating and overseeing medical tourism in collaboration with concerned authorities, managing and developing policies that govern medical insurance and regulating medical advertising in Dubai.

H.H Sheikh Mohammed also issued Decree No. 17 of 2018 establishing subsidiaries of the DHA: the Dubai Healthcare Corporation and Dubai Health Insurance Corporation to further enhance healthcare services in Dubai and enable DHA to fulfil its responsibilities and obligations.

Three new strategic sectors were also added as part of the decree; they include Strategy and Corporate Development, Health Regulation, and Shared Support Services.

In addition to overseeing the health sector for the Emirate of Dubai, the DHA also focuses on providing services through DHA healthcare facilities including Latifa, Dubai, Rashid and Hatta Hospitals, its 12 primary healthcare centres, 17 medical fitness centres and its 6 specialty centres.

For more information, visit DHA’s website: www.dha.gov.ae  

About NYU Abu Dhabi

NYU Abu Dhabi is the first comprehensive liberal arts and science campus in the Middle East to be operated abroad by a major American research university. NYU Abu Dhabi has integrated a highly-selective liberal arts, engineering and science curriculum with a world center for advanced research and scholarship enabling its students to succeed in an increasingly interdependent world and advance cooperation and progress on humanity’s shared challenges. NYU Abu Dhabi’s high-achieving students have come from 120 nations and speak over 120 languages. Together, NYU's campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai form the backbone of a unique global university, giving faculty and students opportunities to experience varied learning environments and immersion in other cultures at one or more of the numerous study-abroad sites NYU maintains on six continents.

© Press Release 2019