Mubadala Healthcare and Dubai Health Authority (DHA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to discuss several key collaboration areas that will facilitate knowledge-sharing, partnership initiatives and improved access to care for patients in Dubai.

It was signed by Dr Mohammed Salim Al Olama, CEO of hospital services at DHA, and Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, the executive director of Mubadala Healthcare.

The initial areas for collaboration outlined relate specifically to three of Mubadala’s facilities - Wooridul Spine Centre, Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre and National Reference Laboratory - and focus on the facilitation of patient and laboratory test referrals, knowledge exchange and the inclusion of these facilities in the Government of Dubai’s Enaya network.

Wooridul Spine Centre is the first facility of its kind in the region, entirely dedicated to spine care with minimally invasive, highly advanced and world-renowned treatment principles, a statement from Mubadala said.

DHA and Mubadala are now working to facilitate referrals from the Authority’s network to Wooridul Spine Centre for medical second opinions, physiotherapy and rehabilitation follow ups, and surgical cases that might otherwise be sent abroad for treatment. 

It is envisioned that Wooridul Spine Centre and other Mubadala facilities will also be included in the Enaya network - the Government of Dubai employee healthcare benefits scheme - opening up access to this network of high quality patient care facilities for a significant number of patients in Dubai.

Enaya provides a broad range of medical insurance coverage including treatment for almost all types of ailments (chronic and/or acute). Preventative treatment is also covered along with routine health check-ups.

The programme encompasses 39 government-owned departments with more than 90,000 beneficiaries, including Dubai Government employees and their families, who receive high-quality services through direct access to DHA facilities and over a 1,000 service providers in the private sector within Dubai and beyond.

In addition, the MoU outlines the intention of the two organisations wherever possible to share and exchange technical support, medical equipment and provision of consultation facilities. 

This includes the opportunity for Wooridul Spine Centre’s surgical team to utilise the operating theatre facilities at Rashid Hospital when required.

The two parties also intend to collaborate on Wooridul’s continuing medical education (CME) and visiting doctor programmes.

The second facility mentioned within the MoU is Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre in Al Ain – a specialist medical imaging facility that features state-of-the-art PET.CT imaging systems that are essential in the early detection and tracking of cancer, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. 

The facility also includes a 3T MRI machine, which produces higher resolution scans in faster timeframes than conventional MRI units thereby enabling more accurate and timely diagnoses. 

The MOU outlines the potential referral of patients within the DHA network to Tawam Molecular Imaging Centre, enabling better access for patients to the centre’s state-of-the-art imaging technology and expertise of Johns Hopkins Medicine.

National Reference Laboratory, a business established by Mubadala Healthcare to deliver high-quality medical diagnostic testing services, has two laboratory facilities – one in Dubai’s Biotechnology  and Research Park (DuBiotech) and the main hub facility in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.

The two organisations signed a separate three-year agreement for Dubai Health Authority to use National Reference Laboratory as an official referral lab for specialised tests. 

“We are very excited to explore these areas of collaboration and build upon our solid relationship with Dubai Health Authority,” said Suhail Mahmood Al Ansari, executive director, Mubadala Healthcare.

“At the same time, we are delighted to announce the Laboratory agreement as the first outcome of the MoU and look forward to expanding upon this in the coming months,” he said. “It is through partnerships and knowledge-sharing initiatives like these that we hope to improve access to our world-class facilities and reduce the need for patients to seek treatment overseas.”

Dr Mohammad Al Olama, CEO of hospital services sector at DHA, said: “At DHA, we are committed to providing specialised care for our patients and this MoU helps us achieve that. The collaboration will ensure our patients have access to world-class health facilities that are available in the UAE.” – TradeArabia News Service