Abdullah bin Souqat, Executive Director of the Sheikh Hamdan Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Medical Sciences, said that for the 3rd consecutive year and under the auspices of the Award, the UAE hosted the first part of the European Diploma in Intensive Care Medicine exam, held in Dubai in conjunction with six European countries namely Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway Switzerland and Germany.

 

The 3-hours exam was performed by199 doctors from 17 countries including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Yemen, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Sri Lanka, Britain, Spain, Australia, Argentina and Cuba at the Event Center, InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City.

 

Abdullah bin Souqat welcomed the exam’s supervisors from the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and referred to holding the exam in accordance with the society’s standards and under the supervision of a distinguished cadre of well-trained doctors from the UAE.

 

“Supporting the continuing medical education within the region is one of the priorities of Hamdan Medical award to improve the performance of specialists who are responsible to manage such an important sector”, he said.

 

Prof. Dr. Hussain Nasser Al Rahma, President of the International Pan Arab Critical Care Medicine Society, the Chairman of the Emirates Intensive Care Society and local supervisor of the exam said: Dubai is the 1st non-European country to host such an exam over the previous three years, and it has become a permanent center for it (the written exam).

 

“By 2016, the United Arab Emirates is scheduled to host the second part of the exam which is the oral and practical one. It will be conducted entirely by supervisors from the UAE, who will be the observers of the 2nd part of the exam to be held this November in Spain”, he said.

 

“The most hospitals in the UAE are internationally accredited as treatment centers. Through our cooperation with the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, we are seeking to be accredited from the Society as training centers. Such an accreditation is expected to improve the performance of doctors within the UAE and prepare the medical sector for the application of the Medical Board of the UAE”, Prof. Dr. Hussain Nasser Al Rahma added.

 

On the other hand, Dr. Franki Duska, intensive care consultant, UK, a member of the European Society of Intensive Care medicine and a supervisor of the examination said: Through the UAE, the society launched the exam in Asia and the Middle East to be accessible to the largest possible numbers of specialists there. Currently, the society is working on creating a center for the 2nd part of the Diploma outside Europe, and we plan for expansion to India.

 

“By comparing the number of the examinees in the countries hosted the 1st part of the exam, we find the UAE on the top. Passing part 1 qualifies them to perform the second part, the oral and practical one, which will be held in the accredited centers in Europe”, he added.

 

It is worthy mentioning that, supported by the Hamdan medical Award and organized by the Emirates Intensive care society in cooperation with the Dubai Health Authority and the International Pan Arab Critical Care Medicine Society, 10th Emirates Critical Care Conference will be opened, tomorrow morning, in conjunction with the 6th Asia Africa Conference of the World Federation of Societies of Intensive Care and Critical Care Medicine and the 10th International Pan Arab Critical Care Medicine Society Conference. The conference will be held for three days with the participation of 1500 specialists from 26 countries from all over the world.