A consortium of top healthcare professionals dedicated to excellence in education, provision of quality patient care and research will be participating in the purpose built Qatar pavilion at the Arab Health Exhibition.

The event will be held from January 26 to 29, 2009, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Under the guidance of the National Health Authority of Qatar, the state agency overseeing the national health policy and regulations in Qatar, the consortium will present Qatar’s industry-leading solutions to three major health challenges, said an official spokesman.

These include premature death through injury and infant mortality; preventable long-term conditions aggravated by genetic factors such as diabetes; and lifestyle diseases that reduce life expectancy and quality of life, such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Making that vision a reality, is key participant Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), which has nearly 20,000 employees covering medical, paramedical, administrative and support services throughout five specialised hospitals offering tertiary healthcare.

“HMC has already set the standard for Middle East healthcare. We were the first public medical centre in the region to attain international accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI) for all of our healthcare centres and hospitals,” said director of marketing and PR Mohamad Al Noimi.

Caring for almost 90 per cent of Qatar’s population, HMC has educational links with Cornell University, the University of Heildelberg Clinics in Germany, which help to support the operations at Al Amal Hospital which specialises in oncology and cancer treatment.

The University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre, US, provides technical services and support for HMC’s accident and emergency services.

However, underscoring the lead that Qatar has taken regionally is clearly illustrated by the joint venture between Cornell University a global pioneer of university level co-education and the Qatar Foundation which resulted in the first medical school in Qatar - Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q).

WCMC-Q offers an integrated programme of pre-medical and medical studies leading to the Cornell University MD degree. It is the first time that an American university has offered its MD degree overseas and teaching is by Cornell and Weill Cornell faculty, including physicians from HMC who hold Weill Cornell appointments.

“Enrolment has grown rapidly from 25 first year pre-medical students in 2002 to over 240 students from 30 different countries in 2008. Qatar and the rest of the region can benefit from this, with home-grown graduates inspiring the next generation of Arab and regionally-based healthcare professionals,” said director of public affairs at WCMC-Q Michael Vertigans.

Other participants include Aspetar the region’s first specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital. This unique facility attracts some of the best athletes in the world not only to address sporting injuries, but also for consultation about optimising fitness levels, nutrition, psychology and training schedules.

Completing the impressive line-up are Qatar Science & Technology Park, University of Calgary, North Atlantic University and Qatar University. – TradeArabia News Service