Research involving clinical trials for a potential new cancer medication and an app which detects depressive disorders were among 30 recipients from healthcare organizations and professionals who were recognized during the third edition of Dubai Healthcare City Authority’s (DHCA) Excellence Awards 2019 held under the Patronage of the President of DHCA, HRH Princess Haya Bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai.

The DHCA Excellence Awards this year presented 30 awards under ‘Excellence’ and ‘Recognition’, including the newly introduced categories of ‘Excellence in Healthcare Research Award’ and the ‘Distinguished Nurse Award’, to showcase the remarkable contributions in advancing healthcare delivery in the UAE by individuals and organizations within the DHCC community.

The awards were presented by HE Humaid Al Qutami, Director-General of Dubai Health Authority in the presence of the DHCA Leadership Team at a ceremony held today, May 1, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Dubai Creek Heights in the DHCC free zone. 

“There is no doubt that the United Arab Emirates, and particularly Dubai, is built on the foundation of excellence, and its people have made innovation a way of life. This ethos is engrained in our society, and goes beyond the objectives of typical, traditional business rules, raising standards, and helping us reach greater heights”.

“The health sector is perhaps the most fortunate for having numerous recognition platforms that motivate healthcare professionals across medical specialties to achieve more, and to engage in healthy competition, which ultimately serves society with the patient’s best interest at heart. At the forefront of such platforms are the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, and the Dubai Healthcare City Authority Excellence Awards,” he added.

As of January 2019, there were close to 50 research projects being conducted by DHCC-based facilities. The ‘Excellence in Healthcare Research Award’ recognizes efforts by scientists funded by DHCC-based organizations to advance research. The Basic Sciences Research Category award, was presented to Taleb H. Al-Tel, a professor from Sharjah University, with seed grant from Al Jalila Foundation, for his research in the development of a unique 3D chemical molecule that has a significant role in developing lead drug candidates targeting cancer, hyperlipidemia and acting against multidrug-resistant pathogens.

While the Applied Sciences Research award was presented to Leontios Hadjilentiadis, Professor at Khalifa University, also a receiver of seed grant from Al Jalila Foundation, for his innovative method to detect depressive disorders through a smart phone application that records four parameters related to keystroke dynamics while the user interacts with the phone’s keyboard.

“For the third consecutive year we are celebrating the achievement of our partners in Dubai Healthcare City, who have worked tirelessly, to implement and sustain innovative healthcare solutions, to better serve patients and the community. For this year, through the Awards’ research category, we are demonstrating our efforts towards achieving the UAE Vision 2021 and UAE’s National Agenda to transition into a knowledge-based economy by promoting innovation, research and development,” said Dr Ramadan AlBlooshi, Chief Regulatory Officer, Dubai Healthcare City Authority – Regulatory (DHCR).       

Through the new nursing category, the Awards also work towards developing the nursing field by providing a platform to the free zone’s 1,500 plus nurses to showcase their achievements and demonstrate their commitment to evidence-based care.  

The ‘Distinguished Nurse Award’ was presented to Rim Kassem Youssef for her outstanding achievements and contributions towards the improvement and innovation in healthcare. Youssef has devoted her career to emergency care in the UAE and Lebanon. An Emergency Room (ER) Manager at Emirates Specialty Hospital, in the DHCC free zone, Rim helped develop and implement nursing policies for the hospital. In addition, she also developed a mobile clinic program and orthopedic educational plan. She has published several research papers and is active in the field of volunteerism.  

The third cycle of the awards has two broad categories - Excellence Awards and Recognition Awards, each with five and four sub-categories respectively. Under Excellence, awards will commend innovation in hospitals and clinics; quality compliance in outpatient clinics; and individual awards for distinguished nurses, physicians and allied healthcare professionals. Under Recognition, awards will celebrate research, volunteerism, inspiring woman in healthcare, and young healthcare professional.  

The first place of the ‘Hospital Innovation Award’ was presented to Al Jalila Children’s Specialty Hospital’s hearing restoration program, which provides a full spectrum of care for patients with suspected or proven hearing disorders, optimizing the use of time and resources.   

The recognition for second place was presented to Emirates Specialty Hospital for a surgical treatment that relieves severe spinal disc pain by fusing two back bones together with a minimally invasive surgery, using the Axial Lumbar Interbody Fusion Technique.

The first place for the ‘Outpatient Innovation Award’ was presented to Igenomix, a genetic company focused on the reproductive segment for providing their patented genetic test, Endometrial Receptivity Analysis (ERA), that allows couples to have up to an 85% increase in pregnancy rates during IVF processes. The second place was presented to the Doris Duan Young Autism Center for their purpose-built observation room, giving parents remote visual access to their children during treatment. Revitalife Compounding Pharmacy came in third for providing unique custom compounding services including Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Multivitamin and Mineral IV Therapy, and personalized and flexible dosing of compounded medications.        

Dr Al Dahmi, Consultant General Surgeon, was presented with the ‘Distinguished Physician Award’ for his outstanding achievements in resection surgeries. He has performed more than 60 lifesaving lung resections, pancreatic resections for cancer, and liver resections among others.  

The ‘Inspiring Woman Award’ was presented to Dr Reem Al Gurg, Director of Strategy and Institutional Excellence and Assistant Professor at the Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, for her inspirational leadership, excellence in healthcare, and contribution to society. She has advised on policies developed by the Ministry of Health and Prevention, is the author of 12 children’s books with a scientific focus, and has received the ‘Sheikh Rashid Award for Outstanding Scientific Research’ in 2016. 

Dana Al Hamwi, Clinical Dietitian and owner of Dr Dana Diet Center, received the ‘Distinguished Allied Healthcare Professional Award’ for her contribution to raising public awareness on health and wellness.